


Aces

by Zed_Zalias



Category: Star Fox Series
Genre: Although as I read some other stuff I realized it's less loose than a lot of other things, Anthropomorphic, But I know where this is going, Drinking, I know it's popular to hate on OCs, Loss of Parent(s), M/M, Past Abuse, Past Relationship(s), Slow Burn, Tsunderes, Why Did I Write This?, loose canon interpretation, please bear with me, who knows why I write what I write
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-03
Updated: 2019-09-24
Packaged: 2019-10-03 23:44:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 60,889
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17293592
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zed_Zalias/pseuds/Zed_Zalias
Summary: Team Star Fox is invited to an official Cornerian Army celebration about a month after the defeat of Andross, and Fox is hesitant to go — After all, he's a professional, and he doesn't exactly like the idea of Falco getting shitfaced in front of General Pepper. The rest of the team seems excited, though, and Peppy says it'll be good publicity, so he decides to go, anyway. While he's there, he meets someone who will push his life in a direction he never quite expected it to go.Fox McCloud is a professional, and he's not going to let anything get in the way of that. Not even a very distracting fighter in the Cornerian Army who just won't leave him alone and who is — If Fox is truly honest with himself — Kind of wonderful in every possible way. Just a little bit.(Star Fox 64 Canon. Personality mostly influenced by a combination of 64 and Assault.)





	1. One in a Million

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll try to make this quicker than most of my notes!
> 
> I don't know what this is. Not _really,_ anyway. All I know is that, as much as I'm pretty sure Wolf/Fox is pretty much canon at this point (Did you _see_ Wolf's Classic Mode portrait in Ultimate), I wanted to experiment with something different. So I was just like, "You know what? Fuck it. I'll make an original character just for this fic." I think what I did with Fox's character is pretty unique, honestly, everyone either makes him emotionless or ridiculously silly (Both of which are valid and I'm not saying I'm superior to those authors, just that what I'm doing is very different!) I guess you could say my Fox is more inspired by how confident and put-together he is in Assault, as that's how he'll act during battles in this. But there is a certain fox who sort of makes a softer side of him come out, as you'll see here :) If people like this, then buckle in for tsundere Fox (but in a less cringy way than most tsundere arcs are done, I promise), old wounds that just won't heal, and like a bajillion chapters of slow burn while Fox just tries to figure his shit out.
> 
> OC will not be a Mary Sue and will be very naturally integrated into things, that's another promise.

Fox wasn't really sure where the rest of his team had gone.

They'd come to the party together, of course. They'd all greeted General Pepper, they'd all made a brief stop at the buffet table, they'd all faced the first wave of Cornerian soldiers eager to question them together. And yet, somehow, by the end of it all, Fox had lost sight of each one of them. This was, on one count, worrying — Falco tended to become embarrassing when he was drunk, and he'd gone for the booze pretty much immediately after stepping in the door — And, on another count, rather annoying. Peppy had promised him, after all, that the team would stick close together for the duration of the evening. Fox wasn't exactly surprised that Falco had tried to go off on his own, but part of Peppy's deal was that he and Slippy would try to keep the rogue bird in check for the evening.

All in all, Fox was feeling just the slightest bit  _incredibly pissed off,_ mainly because he hadn't exactly wanted to come to this party in the first place. Parties weren't really his thing — He didn't drink much, he wasn't exactly what someone would consider 'fun,' and he didn't like being fawned over by people he'd never met before. He was about as talkative as a kitchen sponge. It wasn't just that parties weren't fun for him. They were actually rather uncomfortable for him, and he always felt like he was disappointing everyone there by being so... He wasn't quite sure  _what_ he always ended up being, only that it was too serious and too boring.

 _"Yes, and that's exactly why we should go to this party! You need to loosen up, man,"_ Falco had argued.  _"The only reason people don't like you at parties is because you never let yourself have fun."_

 _"Oh, god, between losing my father and saving the galaxy from a deranged ape, I guess I forget to learn how to have fun,"_ Fox had deadpanned, his consonants clipped.

Falco had looked uncomfortable and ashamed for a moment, so Fox had assured him that he was only joking and that he wasn't still bothered by what had happened to James — Not that this was even  _remotely_ true.

 _"Come on, Fox!"_ Slippy had urged.  _"We just saved the world! We need a little break, you know? It'll be fun!"_

 _"They're right, Fox. You do need to relax every now and again,"_ Peppy had reminded him.  _"Your father would want you to have a little fun."_

He had the desire to pinch the bridge of his nose again even just  _thinking_ about that comment.

 _"Alright, we'll go,"_ He'd finally conceded.

 _"Great! We need the publicity, anyway, Fox,"_ Peppy had said.

 _"You two keep an eye on the bird,"_ Fox had muttered, smiling weakly and cocking his head to Falco.  _"Keep him from making a fool out of us, and you've got a deal."_

_"Hey! I'm not that bad!"_

_"You are. And... We have to agree to stay together. You know I hate getting caught alone at a party with a bunch of strangers."_

_"Agreed,"_ Peppy and Slippy had chorused.

Looking back, Fox felt incredibly naïve for having made that deal. Now, he was alone at a high-profile Cornerian military event, and, perhaps worst of all, he was caught in a very awkward situation: Everyone here knew exactly who he was, and he didn't know who  _any_ of them were.

"Mister McCloud?" A voice behind him called.

He shook himself from his thoughts, setting his glass of water — It was early in the night, and there was a lot of party left to go, after all — On the table and turning to face the person speaking to him.

She was a labrador, by the looks of it, with short hair, wearing a pressed, spotless Cornerian Defense Army Academy uniform. Her expression was eager and excited, but somehow it didn't bother Fox like it normally would.

"I see they haven't changed the outfit since I was in Academy," Fox mused, trying to smile.

She chuckled nervously and fiddled with it for a moment. "No, I guess not... Um." She stopped, clearing her throat. "Sorry, I'm just so nervous! My name's Rebecca. It's really an honor to finally meet you, Mister McCloud."

Fox shook her hand when she held it out, doing his best to appear relaxed, even as that familiar tension he felt when meeting someone new gnawed at his hindbrain. "Nice to meet you, Rebecca. I guess you've heard about me?"

"Yes, I've heard  _lots,"_ She said. "I'm sure everyone's really bothering you tonight, so I won't take too much of your time. I just wanted to let you know that you're a huge inspiration to me in terms of flying, and I'm really so appreciative of what you've done for Corneria."

He nodded, his tail swishing nervously. "I'm glad to hear it."

"Do you mind if I get your autograph?"

"Oh! Uh... Sure. Ahem, do you want it on... Something specific?"

She shrugged, handing him a napkin. "It's the autograph that's important. I don't really care."

He signed the napkin and handed it back to her, his fists clenching and unclenching at his sides.

"Thanks. So... When will you put a chick in Star Fox?" She asked, grinning.

Fox shrugged. "When do you graduate?" He returned.

She threw her head back and laughed. "My girlfriend said you'd be cold and impersonal, and I told her she was wrong. Thanks, now she lost the bet and has to make me dinner."

"I'm glad I could help. I hope you know it's a lot of effort to  _not_ be cold and impersonal, though."

She nodded. "I figured you weren't really into this sort of thing. Why'd you come?"

His eyes flitted to the side. He wasn't sure why he was so comfortable sharing information with this girl, especially since he felt just as uneasy in her presence as in any other stranger's, but the words just flowed out of him.

"Well, when you're the team leader, it's all about saying one thing and then having everyone else insist that you're wrong until you cave."

She snorted, nodding. "Gotcha, gotcha. Well, I don't want to keep you, and I can see Maddie — My girlfriend, I mean — From here, and she looks... Pretty bored. I'll let you go. But... Hey," She said punching his shoulder lightly. "Get a girl in one of those Arwings, alright? Studies show a team always functions better with at least one of us in there. Besides, you're awesome, and all, but I need a pilot who's awesome  _and_ that I find attractive, you know?"

Fox blew air out his nose in a small laugh. "Understood. Talk to us when you graduate, alright?"

Rebecca rolled her eyes and walked past him.

 _Shit,_ Fox mused.  _I found one person that was pleasant to talk to and now she's gone._

He walked back to the buffet table and put some crackers onto a plate, grimacing at how pathetic his bland snack looked. Looking to make sure no one was watching him, he quickly shoved them into his mouth, desperate for something to distract him from nervous energy coursing through his body, before taking a few large sips of his water to wash it all down.

"Holdin' up alright, Fox?" Came Peppy's gruff voice, the rabbit clapping him on the back.

Startled, Fox began coughing profusely, nearly dropping his plate as he tried in vain to calm his throat. "The hell, Peppy?!" He exclaimed, whipping around.

"Oh, sorry about that," Muttered the older man. "What've you been getting up to?"

Fox crossed his arms. "Well, not much. I feel like we've been here for hours and I've only found one person I could stand speaking to."

"We've been here for about 45 minutes, Fox."

The team leader pinched the bridge of his nose, shaking his head. "I don't know why I let you guys drag me to this."

"Falco makes a good point. Maybe if you'd  _let_ yourself have fun, you'd find that it's... Well, fun."

"Speaking of which, have you and Slippy been keeping track of him?" Asked Fox, dreading the answer.

Peppy looked over his shoulder before responding. "Well, he was just with me... I told Slippy I could handle him myself, so he could go and talk to General Pepper about maybe getting an honorary degree from the Academy since he dropped out to join the team. And then, we walked over here, and we talked for a second, and then I turned my back for at _least_ long enough for him to sneak away while I was speaking to Beltino..." Peppy stopped for a moment and then shook his head. "I'm sorry, Fox, I have no idea where he is," He admitted.

"Peppy, he'll cause problems if —"

"I know! I'm sorry, sport. Hey, I'll go off and look for him, alright? You alright on your own for now?"

Fox bit his lip. "Yeah. I'll be...  _Alright._ Not much better than just alright, though. I hate these damn things."

"Oh, Fox, I'm sure you know  _some_ people here. There've gotta be some of your old Academy professors, or friends of your dad's, or something, right?"

"If by 'people you know' you mean people that knew my dad and will just talk at me for thirty minutes about how much I look like him, then, yes. There are people here that I know."

Peppy sighed, exasperation and a faraway sadness in his voice when he spoke again. "Try to hang in there, Fox. We're all so proud of you.  _He'd_ be so proud." He clapped him on the shoulder again and walked away.

Fox shut his eyes, sighing deeply and trying to push his feelings out of his throat, which was becoming a little scratchy. He recollected himself and walked decisively forward, unsure of exactly where he was going, but certain that he couldn't stand still anymore.

"Fox!" Called a familiar brown dog standing by the bar. "Come talk with us!"

Eager to have someone else to speak to, Fox made his way over to General Pepper and the group of Academy students and Cornerian soldiers clustered around him.

"This is our senior Academy class and a few of our finest officers in the Army," Explained Pepper, gesturing at the small crowd assembled in front of him. "Got any advice for 'em, pal?" He asked, sliding his hand around the fox's waist and pulling him closer to him.

Fox struggled to suppress a startled gasp, forcing a small smile onto his face and chuckling nervously "Uhh, well..." His eyes darted around frantically, and the first thing that entered his mind tumbled out of his mouth before he could stop it. "Never give up, and... And trust your instincts," He finished, clearing his throat and nodding.

General Pepper looked startled for a moment and then deliberately sculpted an easygoing smile onto his face and clapped softly, nodding in agreement, prompting the others to clap, as well. "Wow. Such simple words, but if you really take them to heart, I'm sure they'll change your life." Pepper's eyes drifted to the side of his face, and he made piercing eye contact with Fox for a moment, confirming that, as the pilot had feared, he knew exactly who had originally preached this philosophy.

"We are so glad to have the protection and partnership of Team Star Fox and their incredibly talented leader. I hope you've all learned something from his commitment to securing peace for Corneria. Now, I've kept you all for long enough, go ahead and enjoy the festivities. I'll get Mister McCloud out there to meet you all in a few minutes, so don't worry!"

The crowd dispersed rather quickly, leaving only General Pepper, who slung his arm around Fox's shoulder and just about dragged him towards the corner of the room.

"Sorry about that, kid," He whispered. "Gotta make us look all buddy-buddy, you know?"

"Having a bit of a numbers problem at the Academy, General?" Fox asked, raising his eyebrow.

Pepper swallowed. "How'd you pick that up?"

"Why else would you act like that?"

"Look, they  _join._ Everybody joins. The problem is, they don't  _stay._ They learn the basics of how to fly, get their licenses, and then they all either enroll at the University or just get a job. I don't have anybody staying until senior year anymore, let alone enlisting."

"I'm not exactly the poster child for finishing Academy, General," Fox reminded him. "No one on my team is."

Shaking his head, Pepper sighed. "I know. But you've almost got to romanticize the whole thing a bit to even get these kids to stay with you. You've gotta make it look like joining the military is gonna be all glamour and glory and... Well, being a hero like you. I'd normally say that that perverts the whole point of service. You're supposed to do it simply because you want to defend your planet and your system, of course. But... With the lack of _growth_ we've been seeing the last few years, I... Think a little  _perversion_ might be necessary."

"Don't say that," Said Fox, smiling weakly.

General Pepper looked confused for a moment.

"It's just — There were a lot of poorly chosen words at the end there," Fox clarified.

"Oh. Yes. Haha," Pepper chuckled. "You never do lose your edge, Fox. But I also never see you relaxing. You should try to have a good time tonight, alright?"

"You sound just like Hare," Fox said dryly.

"I bet everybody's been on your back tonight, so it's only fair if I back off. But, before I go, I was wondering — Your advice..."

Fox cleared his throat. "It's a common phrase. Lots of people have said it to me before, General."

Pepper hesitated for a moment, searching Fox's face with his eyes. "Yes. Well... Are you — Are you doing alright?"

"I'm doing just fine. I hate parties. But I'm fine in general if that's what you're asking."

The old dog nodded slowly. "If you ever want to talk about your father —"

"Then I have Peppy to ask," Interrupted Fox, all-too-aware that he was pushing it with a rather important official. "And, besides, I'm fine, General."

Pepper sighed. "Alright. I understand. I'll leave you alone now. Like I said, please try to have a good time."

General Pepper walked away briskly, only to be replaced by Falco. Fox's eyebrows jumped up and he recoiled as the bird nearly flew into his face.

"Daaaaaaamn, does he ever shut up?" Falco asked, trying to stand up straight but ultimately failing. "Been watching you two talk, waiting my turn, for like... A long time now."

Fox rolled his eyes, crossing his arms and shaking his head. "Falco, how drunk are you?"

The bird shook his head. "Just tipsy, man. You need to loosen up! Come on, have a few drinks with me."

"I..." Fox's eyes flitted to the side, a blush creeping across his face. "Don't think that's a good idea."

"Oh, come on!" Falco urged, tapping his leader's shoulder playfully.

"Falco, I said no!" Fox shouted, thankful that the chatter of the other guests was loud enough to cover up his outburst.

The bird squinted for a moment and then shrugged. "Alright, your loss. I'm, uh — Sorry if I pushed too hard, or whatever."

"You're fine, Falco," Fox murmured, ashamed of how he'd handled the situation.

"Alright, Fox. If you won't drink, you've gotta have fun  _somehow._ Why don't you pick a girl to go home with? I'm sure anyone would get in bed with you, since you're all famous now."

"I'm  _definitely_ not interested," Replied Fox, wincing at how opposed to the idea he sounded.

Falco snorted. "Well,  _you_ wouldn't be, would you..."

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing... Only that Peppy owes me 50 bucks," Falco added, quieter. "All I'm saying is," He began, his voice loud once more, "Go home with  _somebody._ Or — Well, not home, but — You know, take somebody aboard the Great Fox, or whatever. Like I said, you gotta loosen up. Come on, Fox, how long has it even been since you —"

"Falco," Fox interrupted, looking around the room and avoiding the bird's eyes. "We're not talking about this."

"Hey, you know, too much stress, too much pent-up frustration... It can affect your performance as a leader," Falco muttered, wearing a shit-eating grin.

"I — If there were a problem, I'd be fixing it," Said Fox, his consonants clipped.

"Hah! That one got you to stop and think for a second. Honestly, I'm saying this as your friend, Fox," Continued Falco, his voice softer now. "I feel like all you think about is whether or not you're doing a  _perfect_ job as our leader. And that's not healthy. No one's perfect, and if you obsess over this sort of thing, it can have really negative effects on your mind and body. I just wanna see you have some fun, man."

Fox thought for a moment and then very suddenly came to a conclusion that created a small vacuum of chilling emptiness inside his gut. "I don't really...  _Do_ fun, Falco."

Falco looked away for a moment, silent and unblinking.

"That's not true," He finally said, looking at Fox. "When we're on a mission, and you get in the cockpit of your Arwing, and you're dodging and weaving and yelling instructions at us over the comms and saving our asses — Fox, you're a natural out there, and I can tell that, despite all the stress, you do, on some level, enjoy what we do. What  _you_ do."

Shrugging, Fox swallowed. "I do. I mean, on  _some_ level."

"Look, I guess what I'm saying is, you like flying. But it's also so stressful that you can't really enjoy it. So I wish you'd do some flying out  _here,_ where there is no stress to it, so you can enjoy the feeling of shooting through the sky!"

"What do you mean,  _fly out here?"_ Asked Fox, a puzzled look on his face.

"I mean,  _flying._ Drink! Party! Hook up with somebody! When you fly, Fox, it's all about letting go and just  _feeling_ the connection between your body and that ship and the rest of the void outside of it. You just go with the flow, you feel your instincts, and you do whatever comes to mind.  _That's_ why you're so good at dodging shit, Fox. Your instincts are so sharpened and you've trained yourself to just go with them the second you feel them. If you could think that way about your life, you might... Feel happy."

"Are you saying I'm  _not_ happy?" Asked Fox.

"Fox," Sighed Falco. "Don't... Don't make me the bad guy here. We both know you haven't really...  _Recovered,_ since — And I just want you to let go like you do when we're in our Arwings."

"I'm normally not letting go. I'm normally trying to run through a million different possibilities in my head. I don't fly like you fly, Falco." There was no contempt in the assessment, it was simply a statement of fact to him.

"Okay, so, maybe it isn't the best analogy. I'm not saying you let go, that was bad phrasing on my part — But you, you know, just sort of  _feel_ what's happening around you and just follow along with it. That's how you oughta live your life, Fox. Just feel where things are taking you and go with them. Even though you're normally thinking through... Like you said, a million different things, that's only stuff to do with the mission. If we're just talking about flying, though... I think when we gave Slippy some lessons you had to tell him to relax and go with his instincts about a hundred times. I know you know how to do that when you fly, Fox. So why not now?"

The leader didn't respond for a moment.

"Come on, Fox," Urged Falco. "We're all so worried about you, and we all thought defeating Andross would help, but... It's been a month already, and you've been worse, if anything, and... We really do care about you, man. We just want you to have a little fun!"

"If I hear 'little fun' for a fifteenth time tonight, I'm gonna shoot someone," Fox spat, before revealing it to be a facade and smiling weakly. "But if it's really that important to you, I'll... I'll go meet someone.  _As a friend._ I'm not really... The sort of person that hooks up."

Falco held his palms out towards Fox. "Hey, hey, I get it, man. You do you. Whatever. I'm honestly really happy that you're even doing that much for me. Alright, we'll talk later tonight, alright? I've got more to drink."

Fox rolled his eyes. "Try not to be  _too_ hungover tomorrow."

Falco saluted, grinning. "Duly noted and ignored, Sir."

Chuckling, Fox made his way over an empty table with a few discarded plates left on it, sitting down and looking around nervously. He waited like this for a few minutes before he realized that a group of people wasn't going to suddenly assemble themselves around him simply because he'd sat down at a table.

 _I'm an idiot,_  Fox thought.

The ace pilot sat there for a while longer, checking his watch every few minutes and half-heartedly looking around for one of his teammates, just so he'd have something to do. Finally, a hand tapped him on the shoulder and a voice called out to him.

"Fox? Fox McCloud?"

 _Oh, fuck me,_ His mind screamed.  _I'd know that voice anywhere..._

He turned around, trying his best to smile at Bill, even while the fingernails of his one hand were practically breaking through the skin of the other hand in anxiety. "Oh, hi."

"God, it's been — What, two years? Three?"

"Uh... Something like that," Confirmed Fox, nodding.

"I wasn't gonna come tonight, but one of my soldiers called me and told me you were here, so I figured I had to drop by!"

"...Uh huh," Deadpanned Fox. "Well, it's, uh... Really nice to see you again, Bill."

"Likewise, McCloudy Skies."

Fox flinched at the nickname. Bill laughed loudly, misinterpreting his discomfort as being purely from the discomfort of the nickname and not from the discomfort of the memories associated with him.

"Sorry, that was always a stupid one, I know. But we did a lot of stupid things back then, didn't we?" Bill murmured, a twinkle in his eyes. "Like, the whole thing where we tried —"

"Hey, Bill?" Fox cut in. "I'm sorry, but I'm just not ready to laugh about... I just can't yet."

Bill looked hurt for a moment but then nodded sagely. "I understand. I know that was all kinda... Around the time that, uh..."

"Yeah," Said Fox.

"Alright, well... You've got my number. You...'ve had it for all these years, and you never — But, if you ever want to..."

Fox nodded, his false, constructed politeness rapidly deteriorating as the conversation became more and more unbearable. "I'll let you know if I want to see you again, Bill."

Bill nodded and then cleared his throat. "I really am sorry, Fox."

He left immediately afterward.

As soon as he was out of earshot, Fox turned back to the table and sighed, leaning his head down and groaning. "This party is so fucked."

 _"Tell_ me about it."

Fox's ears perked up. Raising his head, he saw another fox, wearing an Academy uniform that looked rather tight and holding a small paper plate of bread. His fur was a deeper, darker orange than Fox's, with a certain quality that made him look like he was constantly standing in the shadows of something even in the oddly bright lights of the bar. His eyes were a bright, energetic green, just like Fox's. Kindness seemed to radiate from his small, polite smile. From his years among military-bound students in the Academy, Fox could easily tell just by looking at the way he carried himself that his body was slightly toned, despite his unbelievably slim figure, although he didn't dwell on this detail — He wasn't going to make the alarmingly loud voice in his hindbrain any harder to ignore than it already was, after all.

The other's eyebrows jumped up when Fox showed his face. "Oh! Fox - Fox Mccloud. I... I didn't realize, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop," He hurriedly explained, covering his mouth as he finished chewing.

"You're fine," Fox muttered, remembering his promise to Falco and deciding he'd much prefer talking to someone who  _also_ wasn't having the best evening.

Besides, there was something very aesthetically pleasing about his face. Fox couldn't quite put his finger on it, but it was soft and friendly, with just a little bit of a smug edge to it.

"Did you come over to talk to me?" Asked Fox, wondering why he'd suddenly made his way over to the table.

"Oh — Not to be rude, but, no. Not exactly. I... Just left my plate over here and kept forgetting to come get it. So... I'm here now. Ahem."

"Just bread?" Fox eyed the plate suspiciously.

The other shrugged. "I like plain food.  _Very_ plain. Besides, I saw _you_ shove, like,  _30_ saltine crackers in your face about an hour ago."

The pilot smirked. "I thought I looked to make sure no one was watching when I did that."

He laughed. "I'm not very remarkable, Mister McCloud, I guess you didn't see me."

"Just call me Fox. I'm getting tired of hearing Mister McCloud."

"Fair enough," Said the other, nodding.

"What's your name, then?" Fox forced out.

"Kyle," He said, holding out his hand.

Fox nodded, shaking it and then sighing.

"You alright?" Asked Kyle, sitting down across from him.

"You don't have to —" Began Fox.

"I've sat through too many parties, uncomfortable as shit, where no one asked me if I was okay. I'm not letting that happen to you. _Are you okay?"_

"Yeah, I just... Really hate parties," Replied Fox. "And all night I've either had no one to talk to or I've been forced into incredibly awkward conversations that I can't seem to get out of fast enough."

"Oh, yeah, me too. I mean, I feel like I  _would_ like parties if I weren't so damn nervous I'm gonna say something stupid."

"I'm sort of the guest of honor, so I  _had_ to come. Why you, though?" Asked Fox, a quizzical look settling on his face.

Kyle shrugged again, and Fox took note that it was a habit of his. "I don't know. I'm tired of being single and my friends promised they would help me meet somebody and not just abandon me. But, lo and behold, I am a-fucking-lone."

Fox snorted. "Same thing with me. I mean, not the — Not the 'tired of being single' part," He added, blushing. "But they promised me they wouldn't leave me, and they did just that pretty much  _immediately..."_

"Hey, _friends._ They're always there for you, right?" Muttered Kyle, raising his glass unenthusiastically.

Chuckling, Fox raised his and clinked them together. "I shouldn't be so hard on them, though. They're coming from a good place. They just... Don't understand." He slid his cup around on the table nervously.

Kyle smiled. "No one ever really does. And you probably just walk past the one person on the planet who gets you in a grocery store or something _one time_ and never actually speak with them. Kind of a fucking sad prospect, don't you think?"

"Maybe," Murmured Fox.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to be... Depressing, or anything. I'm just a little bitter. I can't say my friends are exactly coming from the right place like you say yours are. Everyone at the Academy is a spoiled piece of shit."

Fox smirked. "I went to Academy."

Kyle grinned. "But _you_ dropped out. You're  _cool."_

Fox snorted again and realized that he actually  _did_ enjoy this conversation. "Pepper made it sound like pretty much everyone goes for a few years, though. Is  _everyone_ a spoiled piece of shit?"

Kyle cocked his head and thought for a moment. "Yes," He decided, earning another laugh from Fox. "No, but I'm in my last year, you know? So... Everyone that's left is kind of... Conceited. It's like a pyramid of shittiness. The longer you stay in, the less people there are, but the more Shit Per Person you're dealing with. They all think they're gonna be the next Star Fox."

"So then why are you still in it?" Asked Fox.

"Well,  _obviously_ 'cus I think I'm gonna be the next Star Fox,  _duh,"_ Deadpanned Kyle.

Fox laughed heartily. "Right, of course. And... My name's not Star Fox, you know."

"I know. But the people I'm making fun of don't know that, and I was going for accuracy," He muttered. "Besides, Star Fox would be a fucking  _awesome_ name."

"Thanks, I guess," Replied Fox. "So, then, why _are_ you still in?"

"I told you! I'm gonna be the next Star Fox," Kyle repeated.

"I honestly can't tell if you're serious or joking."

Kyle shrugged. "Would I  _like_ to be the next Star Fox? Of course. Do I think I  _will?_ No. I suck at  _everything."_

"I'm sure that's not true, Kyle," Fox reassured him.

"No, it is. It 100 percent is. I can't fly, I can't aim, and I don't have a courageous bone in my body. Pretty much the exact opposite of you."

Fox shrugged. "You can always learn."

"People say that, and I think it's true to a  _certain extent._ But there's definitely a threshold for that. And if you don't meet the bare minimum of innate skill, you'll never be able to get very far."

"That's pretty pessimistic," Fox mused.

Kyle thought for a moment. "The more optimistic you are, the more often you're disappointed," He said.

Silence settled over the two for a moment. Fox was trying to keep the conversation going, though — The strangeness of which did not allude him — So he asked another question.

"What are you doing after you finish Academy, then?"

"We actually have graduation in, like, a month. A little less, actually. I guess I'm supposed to enlist in the Cornerian Fleet now. Or, that's what my parents want from me, anyway..."

"Oh," Murmured Fox.

"Yeah," Sighed Kyle. "Not really my choice, seeing as I can't shoot or fly for shit. But my dad likes to think that it just hasn't  _clicked_ yet and that if he keeps pushing me down this path, I'll eventually just become as much of a natural as he was. It's a lot of pressure, having a dad who's that respected for something. Er... Shit, sorry, of course you'd know what that's like... Sorry."

"It's alright," Said Fox. "It's a miracle you haven't compared me to him yet. Most people do  _immediately._ They think it's cool to instantly ask me if it's true that Andross killed him."

"What the  _fuck?!"_ Exclaimed Kyle. "That's fucked up. That's not their business."

Fox eyed him suspiciously. "You're wondering, too, aren't you?"

"Well, everybody is, but at least I have the decency to not ask!"

Fox smirked. "Well, the answer's yes. It's sort of relieving to tell someone that who didn't force it out of me, actually."

"I feel bad that you even told me."

"You didn't ask; it's alright."

After a few moments, Kyle inhaled sharply as if he was about to speak and then closed his mouth, thinking for a few more seconds before trying again.

"I don't want to keep you from your teammates, or your girlfriend, or whatever, so —"

"No, they're all doing their own things, I'm sure. And I don't have a girlfriend," Fox added, looking to the side and blushing slightly.

"Oh, earlier you said you weren't single, so I just assumed —"

"I _am_ single. I — I just meant that me not being single wasn't the reason I came," Fox stammered.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry, Fox," Kyle muttered, looking at the floor, looking genuinely ashamed of himself for the first time since Fox had met him.

"No, it's just that Falco — You know of Falco, right? — He's been bugging me to..." Deciding it would be inappropriate to mention to a near-stranger that Falco wanted him to have a one-night-stand, Fox reworded things a little. "Meet somebody all night, so I was just getting a little annoyed at all the focus on my love life or lack thereof."

"Well, if you ever want to go on a date just so he stops bothering you, I know plenty of girls who wouldn't mind just going out with someone for a nice dinner even if they knew it wasn't going to go anywhere. Just a suggestion."

Fox swallowed and eyed Kyle suspiciously. "I... That's alright, Kyle. I'm really not interested."

He nodded. "That's fine, just thought I'd offer."

Suddenly, General Pepper appeared almost out of thin air at the head of their small table, his hands clasped behind his back. "Good evening once again, Fox McCloud. I see you've met Kyle. He's..." Pepper seemed to search the air around Kyle's head for words for a moment. "One of our finest pupils. Anyway, I've been talking with Peppy about maybe having some of our most promising Academy seniors come aboard the Great Fox and have a little tour... Maybe watch you all do a simulation or something... He said that'd be fine, but, obviously, I wanted to check with you first."

Fox was startled by the request and had to think for a few moments. "Uh — Yeah, I guess so. We're not really working right now, anyway, since we're still sort of recovering from the fight with Andross. So... Yes, that'd be fine, just... Get in contact with Peppy and me to set up a date."

Pepper nodded. "Thank you, Fox. Your hospitality never ceases to impress me."

The General walked away, leaving Kyle to raise his eyebrow at Fox. "Guess we'll be seeing more of each other... Maybe."

Fox nodded. "I guess so."

"Probably not, the more I think of it. It'll only be the General's little batch of handpicked favorites."

"I thought he said you were one of their finest pupils?" Fox asked.

"Didn't you see how he hesitated?"

"I... Didn't want to mention it, but... Yes," Confirmed Fox.

"They don't know what to do with me. I ace every written exam they can come up with. I just...  _Suck._ It's really awkward. I  _know_ everything they've ever taught me, but I just  _suck_ at everything, you know?"

Fox nodded awkwardly.

"I know you were, like, a  _star._ Pepper talks about you all the time.  _Fox this. Fox that. A real natural. Born with a talent. Blah blah blah._ Sorry, I — I'm mad at Pepper, not you. I didn't mean to seem like I was resentful of you. You're actually pretty cool, Fox, I gotta say," Said Kyle, smiling warmly.

"Thanks," Said Fox. "You, too."

"Hey, Fox!" Called Falco, coming up to the table, stopping short when he saw Kyle. "Oh, you  _are_ hooking up with somebody!"

"Falco!" Fox shouted. "This — This is Kyle. We're just  _talking."_

Falco turned to Kyle.  _"About_ hooking up?" He asked.

Kyle laughed good-naturedly, surprising Fox with how little he was bothered by being used as a weapon for Falco to tease him with. "No," He said. "We're just two people who don't want to be here, trying to entertain each other."

"That's exactly what I asked," Deadpanned Falco, before chuckling loudly at his own joke.

"Falco, you're..." Fox searched for the right words for a moment.  _"More_ drunk."

"Still just tipsy. It's starting to get to me, though. Hey, I'm so happy you two are hitting it off, but Peppy wants us all to go out for a last drink as a team before we head back to the Great Fox. I don't mean to guilt-trip you out of a date, but he's going to be really sad if you don't come with us..."

"Uhh..." Fox hesitated.

Kyle rolled his eyes, chuckling. "You're fine, Fox. I'll be alright, I can just leave if I get bored. Go ahead, go be with your team. It was nice to talk to you."

Falco laughed. "About as nice as talking to a brick wall, more like. I bet he didn't do anything but give you a cold stare all night."

"No, he was very pleasant," Kyle said, still surprisingly nonchalant around the boisterous bird. "He wasn't cold at all."

"Well, he's different on missions. He's like a  _machine._ Just rattling off commands, shouting into the comms, zipping across space and spinning and rolling and... Wow. It still amazes me."

"I'd like to see that, honestly," Kyle said, crossing his arms.

"Well, hey, if this thing Peppy was telling me about goes through, some of the Academy kids'll be coming on the ship anyway," Falco said.

Kyle leaned towards Fox, his breath sweet and minty. "I'll try to become Pepper's favorite by then, 'kay?" He murmured.

Fox blushed hotly, his fur bristling and his tail quivering slightly. He didn't have  _time_ for  _that_ in his life, so he pushed the sensations as far down as he could.

Falco guffawed, slapping Fox's shoulder. "Hey, I like you, Kyle. You ain't half bad."

"Thanks, Falco," Kyle replied, getting up from his seat. "But I'm not an Academy _'kid.'_ I'm a senior, so I'm the same age as you two dropouts!"

"Oh, interesting!" Murmured Falco, giving Fox a look.

Fox replied with a look that said  _I will murder you and serve you for Thanksgiving dinner, bird._

"Well, tell me before we go, do you think Fox is good as the face of our team?" Asked Falco. "Fox thinks Peppy has more of an established name and should be more of our brand identity. I'm trying to conduct a little impromptu survey here tonight to debunk his theory, and so far things have gone very well for me. Still gotta hear from you, though."

Kyle shrugged, grinning brightly. "Peppy's good. He looks dependable. He looks responsible. But if you want to send a strong, confident message... I mean, if I could pick someone to swoop in and save my life, it'd be Fox. He definitely carries a sort of...  _Badassery_ when he's got his mission-face on. I've seen the advertisements — Don't change a thing."

Falco chuckled and nodded, patting Fox on the head. "Yeah, I  _do_ like you, Kyle. You know what's up. Hopefully, we'll see you around."

"Yeah, hopefully," Said Kyle, nodding. "Nice to meet you both. Goodnight."

"Goodnight!" Said Falco, before elbowing Fox hard in the side.

"Ow!" Fox hissed. "Uh, goodnight, Kyle." He stammered.

Kyle just laughed and turned, leaving the pair alone.

"You almost didn't say goodnight," Falco scolded.

"Well, I  _did,"_ Muttered Fox, back to his usual self.

"I love him. He's wonderful. Can we keep him, Fox?"

Fox groaned, rubbing his face in agony. "Shut up. I hate him."

"Why?"

"Because he's wonderful."

Falco laughed for about ten minutes straight while Peppy, Slippy, and Fox tried to get him out the door in one piece.

"Fox, we've been so focused on Andross ever since we met and started this little team," Falco said. "I'm excited to  _actually_ get to know you, alright? Besides, you're damn fun to fuck with," He said, punching his shoulder.

Fox sighed deeply. "I hate you, Falco."

"Love you too, man," Falco said, chuckling once more.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, Fox. You're a professional, all right. _Except_ around Kyle. Not my best narration or description perhaps, but this was meant to be dialogue-centric and I'm proud of how that went, at least. I really hope you enjoyed, and if you could tell me what you liked or didn't like and what your thoughts are on this so far, that'd really help me keep going :) Comments are my coffee!


	2. One Last Drink

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long! It was only meant to be a week but I was away from home almost all of last week. Yes, it is actually canon that James Fox took out an 80-year-loan to pay for the Great Fox and then died shortly thereafter, leaving his son with the debt.
> 
> Dick move, James. Dick move.

"Don't say a word about what happened to Peppy and Slippy," Fox muttered to Falco as the rabbit and frog stepped into the bar ahead of them.

Falco turned to him. "Don't say a word about _what?"_ He asked, grinning.

Fox sighed deeply. "You know what."

"No, I don't," Falco argued, his smile widening.

"Fine. Don't say a word about _Kyle,_ Falco," Fox shot back.

Falco nodded. "Alright. I'll just let them find out for themselves when they walk in on you, balls deep in —"

Fox had pulled open the door and slipped inside at this point, leaving Falco behind, who rushed in a second later.

"Kyle's ass," He finished.

Fox snorted, and, despite himself, he smiled. _"You're_ the ass, Falco."

Falco just guffawed. "You didn't think I'd actually still finish the sentence even after having the door shut in my face, did you?"

Crossing his arms, Fox shook his head. "No, I didn't."

"You _are_ funny, you know," Falco mused. "You've just gotta worry less."

Fox put on a show of rolling his eyes, suppressing a twitch as a memory of General Pepper's voice, grave and somber and imparting only bad news, floated to the top of his mind. "I'll try, Falco," He said, dryly, meticulously removing all emotion from his words.

They sat down next to their other teammates at the bar, who were currently absorbed in a discussion about the merits and drawbacks of mandatory conscription, for reasons unbeknownst to the less bookish members of the team.

"Will _we_ — The two of us, I mean — At least have a conversation about him later?" Asked Falco.

"There's not really much to tell, Falco," He murmured, his tail floating to the side slightly.

"Bull _shit,"_ Falco deadpanned.

Fox thought for a moment. "I mean, long, awkward conversations generally aren't my thing, Falco. But if you're going to keep bugging me about it, I guess I may as well give in some time soon and save myself the trouble of having to listen to you beg..."

"Alright," Falco said, nodding. "We'll talk later. Excuse me, Miss?"

One of the bartenders turned around to face the bird, a smile on her face. Fox figured she was about the same age as them, and he knew she was a cat the moment he saw her eyes, which glowed against the dark, moody atmosphere of the bar.

"Was _wondering_ which member of the legendary Star Fox team would order a drink first," She said, winking.

Fox saw Falco shift slightly on his stool, his foot tapping on the floor.

"What'll it be, _Falco Lombardi?"_ She asked, her voice husky and exaggeratedly feminine.

Fox squinted at the display. He never understood why people went crazy for that sort of voice.

 _Well, of course **I** wouldn't_ _understand, would I?_ He mused, before pushing the thoughts out of his brain and dropping his eyes to the glass of liquor someone had left sitting on top of a laminated menu next to him.

He then looked to the menu, examining its many stains before trying his hardest to become absorbed in a low-resolution photo of some rather suspect-looking chicken wings, just so he could block out this conversation.

Falco, however, was clearly interested, his face already flaming red. "S-Surprise me."

She laughed and got busy mixing a cocktail for him, while Peppy leaned over to warn him to refrain from drinking _too_ much — He had some champagne on the ship for one last drink, apparently.

"I thought this _was_ the one last drink," Fox asked, smirking slightly.

Peppy shrugged. "It's a special night, Fox. We'll have a _couple_ last drinks."

Feeling something bump his shin, Fox looked over to see Falco trying to get his attention with his foot. "I'm _totally_ getting laid, dude," He whispered, childlike glee sparkling on his face.

Fox rolled his eyes, grinning warmly. He shook his head and turned away for a moment, marveling at how casually Falco viewed sex. Fox wasn't a prude — It wasn't that he had a _problem_ with the notion of one-night-stands, but rather that he didn't understand why so many people enjoyed them while he had no desire to experience one. He was different, and he knew that. Sometimes he wondered if it would be easier if he weren't, though. Perhaps Falco was right — Perhaps he _would_ enjoy letting loose if he just tried it. He'd never know, though, because he simply _couldn't._

 _This has nothing to do with Kyle, though,_ Fox assured himself. _I'm not suddenly thinking about this because of him._

And, in all honesty, he wasn't, really. He hadn't paid much attention to Kyle's physical appearance, after all — At least, not more than he had figured was safe. He normally didn't pay attention to that sort of thing; he had no need to make things more complicated for himself than they already were. Fox figured that the only reason he'd been thinking more about his reluctance to do things his peers did all the time lately was that, with Andross defeated, there was nothing to occupy his thoughts anymore, nothing to keep him from realizing how many wounds his soul had suffered.

Nothing but emptiness.

Fox liked having Andross in his world. He hated him but liked having him around to hate. Andross was an objective. It was a goal to be accomplished, a task to be completed. It was something that gave his existence meaning — And he had destroyed it.

Deciding this was the sort of mental dialogue he would rather avoid, Fox began paying attention to Falco's conversation with the bartender once again.

"Oh?" Asked the cat, her voice dripping with honey. "Would Falco Lombardi take me for a _ride,_ then?"

Falco swallowed hard, licking his lips. "I mean, I _am_ the Hero of Corneria... I'm sure it'd be a really _thrilling_ ride."

She laughed, her every utterance practically a sultry moan, prompting Fox's nose to twitch in discomfort. "Don't you think the 'hero' deserves a little _thank you?"_

Fox shut his eyes, sighing deeply. There was a headache forming inside his forehead, slowly driving a cold, metal stake into his brain. He reached for his water and raised it to his lips, gulping it down like he'd been in a desert for months on end.

"Sorry, Fox, were we bothering you?" Asked Falco, suddenly concerned.

Fox looked over at him, his eyes just so happening to land on something about Falco he would have rather not noticed. Still drinking, Fox started coughing immediately, turning his head away from his team while he tried to regain his breath. When he spoke, his voice was scratchy and rough from talking over loud music all night and his lungs' recent rebellion.

"Yeah, I'm good, you're fine," Muttered Fox, averting his eyes. "What happened to — Um, _her?"_

"Oh, her name's Jade," Falco explained. "She's just serving another group right now."

Fox nodded, tapping nervously on his glass. "So, 'Hero of Corneria,' huh?" He asked, smirking.

Falco laughed, holding up his hands. "No, no, I'm only saying that because she's, like, into that."

"Into...?" Fox prodded.

"You know, like... The fact that I'm famous and a hero, or whatever. She hinted at uh... Wanting to, like, worship me a little. I can't believe she's being so forward... If I were a bartender, I'd never flirt on the job so blatantly, I'd be too worried I'd get canned..." Falco rambled.

"Wait," Interrupted Fox. "Are _you_ into that?"

Falco hesitated, shrugging. "I — I mean..."

"Isn't that a little vain?" Asked the fox, smirking.

"No, no," Falco muttered. "It's just, like, a kinky thing. Neither of us actually think I'm _that_ great, it's just a fun sort of roleplay thing, you know, to have someone all over you, telling you how sexy and strong and heroic you are... Or whatever," Falco finished, looking away and clearing his throat.

Fox felt a tug deep in his gut.

"Th-That's a really weird kink, Falco," He stammered, scarlet heat rising to his face. "It's a little fucking weird."

"Hey, don't kinkshame," He replied, punching Fox lightly in the shoulder.

A shiver ran down his spine, the punch uncomfortable and too forceful. "I'm not, I'm just saying," Fox began, his voice weak and unsteady, and then he shook his head and remained silent.

The pair sat in silence for a moment, Falco nervously sipping at his drink, and Fox trying to think about anything other than sex.

"Hey, so..." Began Falco. "I'm going back to the Great Fox with you guys, we're going to humor Peppy and drink his champagne, and then everybody's going to pass out. I, on the other hand, have a liver that is capable of _miracles,_ as I'm sure you're aware, so I'm going to fly back down here in my Arwing and pick up Jade... Bring her on board... Have a little fun..."

"Won't it be, like, one in the morning by the time you two actually get on the ship?" Asked Fox.

Falco shrugged. "She works the late shift. She's not normally done until two, anyway. Fortunately, she doesn't have to stay and close tonight, and she hasn't been the first one to get cut in a while, so she'll probably be let go at about the right time for me to come get her."

"Alright... And you're telling me this... _Why?"_

Falco looked around for a moment and then sighed. "Do you promise you won't be mad?"

Fox thought about that. "I — Do _not_ promise that, actually," He decided.

"I think you should text Kyle, Fox."

Fox huffed, rolling his eyes so hard he thought his pupils would pop out. He looked away from Falco, gulping down a gallon of his water while Falco attempted to justify himself.

"It's just — I'd feel awkward if I was the only one getting laid. And I really _do_ think you need to blow off some steam, Fox."

"I don't do that," Fox suddenly snapped, surprised by his own tone of voice as soon as the words left his mouth.

Falco opened his mouth and then closed it, looking away as he cleared his throat. "Alright, I get it. That's not your style, and you keep saying that, and I should just respect that. But... At least call him for a date or something?"

Fox sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You really _are_ just trying to help," Fox muttered. "Which makes me feel like such a dick for saying no. But... Well, _no."_

Falco sighed, too. "At least text him as a _friend_. You said you'd make a friend before the end of the night, right? And it's not friendship if you only talk _once._ That's not unreasonable for me to ask for, right? You having a friend?"

"No, I guess not. The thing is, though..." Fox smiled slightly despite himself. "Promise me you won't be mad?" He asked Falco.

"No," Stated Falco, shaking his head and grinning.

"I didn't ask for his number," Fox admitted, sheepishly.

"You idiot!" Falco sputtered, laughing, swatting playfully at Fox's face. "Come on, you and he got along so well!"

"I think we just had a normal, friendly conversation, Falco," Fox argued.

"Exactly! Do you know how _hard_ it is to get you to have a normal, friendly conversation, Fox?"

The Star Fox leader snorted. "Okay, fair enough. But I wasn't really trying to get his number because, if you remember correctly, I went into this night with no intentions of meeting anybody. It's not like I saw the evening as nothing more than a series of minigames to see whose number I could successfully get. I wasn't going about this sort of thing like _you_ do, Falco," Teased Fox.

"Hey, don't diss me, Star Fox," Warned Falco. "I guess I just thought, you know, since it went so well, you'd..."

Fox shrugged. "Look, neither of us were trying to hook up, so I didn't think to ask. I got to know him well enough to realize that he's a very upfront sort of person. If he wanted my number, he would have asked, so I figured he didn't. And I didn't really want his, either, because, as I said, I don't _do_ that sort of thing."

Falco was silent for a minute. "Have you _really_ never had a —"

"Nope," Replied Fox. "I know, I'm _soooo_ lame, aren't I, Falco? Look, it's not my thing."

"No, as I said, I respect that. I was just curious. Just trying to make sure I had the whole picture right in my head. If you ever changed your mind, though, you know Kyle would be about the easiest, most non-threatening person you could hook up with, right? He'd be easy without being boring _,_ Fox. It's rare that someone's both. He'd be perfect if you ever decided you wanted to."

"I guess..."

"And you enjoyed talking to him. So, even if you never changed your mind about casual sex, it wouldn't matter. You could just go on dates with him, get to know him, and _then_ shove your —"

"Okay," Fox declared, smiling. "That's enough outta you, Lombardi."

"I won't say another word," Falco agreed, "because I don't have to. You know exactly what I mean! He'd be fun for you to go out with, right?"

"I..." Fox hesitated. "Don't really do _committed relationships,_ either."

"So... No casual sex and no serious relationships. What _do_ you do?"

"When Andross is dead and there's no one for me to be busy getting revenge on? Mostly just sit around, talking to you idiots..."

"Hardy, har, har," Falco deadpanned. "I mean, like, what do you — How do you not just go crazy? I know I would..."

"Well, you're Falco," Fox countered.

"No, I'm _a sentient being with needs._ And, unlike you, I don't deny those needs. Unless you're, like, asexual — Which, if you are, I feel like a _massive_ asshole — Then you must just be denying what you know your body wants."

"I control what my body wants, Falco, and I don't want _anything."_

"Maybe you don't want it, but you might need it," Falco pushed.

"I don't want anything," Fox repeated, his voice precise and sharp. "And I certainly don't _need_ anything."

"Alright, so then why not just... Casual dates?" Suggested Falco.

"What do you mean?" Asked Fox.

"If you don't want a serious relationship, and you don't want casual sex, why don't you do... Casual relationship? Just go on dates with Kyle because he's fun to talk to, and it won't need to progress any further than that if you don't want it to."

"I... Wouldn't want to force him into something where he's stuck with someone who won't..." Fox trailed off, shifting uncomfortably on his stool.

"Gotcha, gotcha," Murmured Falco. "I'm sure he'd understand, though."

"Maybe, but he's also practical, and he wouldn't keep doing something if he thought he was wasting his time. Besides, what makes you think I like him so much, anyway? He made pleasant conversation at a party _one time._ That's it. And I had just talked to some _awful_ people that I can't stand, so I honestly think it only felt so nice to talk to him because the bar had been set so low."

"Look, I say this as your friend, Fox," Falco whispered. "I saw you two talking. I saw the way you acted. And it's sort of like you being gay — You didn't tell me, and we never talked about it, but you didn't _have to_ because, like, is Fox gay? I don't know, is fucking water blue? Do Fox and Kyle have great chemistry? Uh, fucking great question; I think I know the answer."

 _Guess I couldn't pass, after all,_ Thought Fox. _Why am I **surprised** by that? I've been aware he's known for months, and tonight he literally tried to fix me up with someone..._

 _"Listen,"_ Falco began. "Even if you don't end up in a relationship with Kyle, I want you to just go out to dinner with him _once._ Even if it's just as friends. I'm just super worried about you, man, and you need to go out and have some fun with someone other than us... Can you do that?"

Fox sighed, thinking for a few minutes. "Hey, if it makes you happy," He finally murmured.

"Really?" Asked Falco.

The team leader shrugged. "Yeah, if it's super important to you, I'll go out with him _as a friend._ I guess I have to be grateful that you care so much about me."

"I mean, I'd appreciate a little appreciation, Fox," Falco chuckled. "Hey, that's so awesome. Seriously. I can't believe how cool you're being about this whole thing, 'cause I know it's kinda... Not your comfort zone. We'll have to get ahold of him somehow, though — I'll help you with that, don't worry. Maybe we can write to General Pepper and request that he be one of the seniors selected to come on the Great Fox tour. Say we won't do it if he can't come, or something."

"Maybe," Said Fox, shrugging.

"Hey, if I push you too hard, let me know, alright?" Asked Falco, concern in his voice. "I'm not trying to make you enjoy something you don't enjoy. I just... You haven't tried this kind of relationship before, so I just wanted to see if it would work for you. I thought maybe it'd help you de-stress a bit, so if it stresses you out even more, just tell me, and I'll back off. Okay, Fox?"

Fox nodded. "Thanks, Falco."

"Now, I can't talk to you all night, unfortunately, because I'll be busy screwing out Jade's brains," Falco declared.

Fox laughed again and, for a moment, everything felt okay.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

"Ooooh, whoops!" Exclaimed Peppy, foamy bubbles running down his hand. "It's been a while since I've opened a bottle of the good stuff!"

He poured everyone a glass — Even Fox, much to his dismay — And waited for them to all be ready for a toast.

 _"I'm only asking you to have a sip, Fox,"_ Peppy had assured him, and he had begrudgingly agreed.

"A toast," Began Peppy, his voice somehow both authoritative and jubilant. "To Star Fox!"

The four knocked their glasses together and sipped the bubbly beverages, each of them exchanging meaningful glances as they thought back to all the battles they had lived through to make it to this very moment. Fox grimaced as he swallowed, the taste of alcohol unfamiliar in his mouth. Memories came with the fruity aroma — A party with his friends from Academy after exams one year, meeting a bulldog there and becoming fast friends, going to more parties, losing track of his studies, losing track of how long he'd been drinking, blurring the lines between exam and party and class and  _Bill —_

They had been exciting experiences at the time, but they made for depressing memories. Since then, they had become frosted over, cloaked in shadow, tainted with the knowledge of where they had led. The first few stones of that walkway had been golden, bejeweled, dazzlingly bright — So bright that Fox simply couldn't tell how dark the end of the line was.

He shuddered, pushing the thoughts from his mind as he finished his glass of champagne, hating the way the fiery warmth trickled through his veins and settled heavily in his feat like lead.

 _At least it's champagne and not hard liquor,_ he thought.  _I don't need to think about **him** right now._

"...And when I heard you two had trained Slippy to fly all by yourselves, I knew we had a chance to really do something special," Pepper murmured, a twinkle in his eye.

Falco chuckled, his face flushed with mirth and booze. "Hey, only Fox here had the patience for Froggy. If it weren't for him, it wouldn't have gotten done."

"Hey!" Slippy protested. "I  _could_ fly, just not  _well."_

"Yeah, and good thing you did, too," Fox mused, trying to push himself into the conversation to cover up the minute he'd spent lost in another time. "Because I wouldn't have been able to teach you from the ground up. And Peppy here wasn't as stoked on the idea of letting me re-form Team Star Fox as he remembers, I assure you. If you hadn't improved at flying as much as you did, he wouldn't have let this happen..."

Falco threw his head back, laughing. "That's right. I forgot about that."

"Fox, I've  _always_ supported you!" Peppy protested.

"Hey, Fox is right this time, old man. Sorry," Falco said. "I remember."

"Yeah, you weren't into  _this_ idea —" Slippy began, gesturing at the walls of the Great Fox "— At all."

Peppy rolled his eyes. "I had every reason to be skeptical."

"Fair enough," Conceded Fox, nodding.

"I just didn't want —" Began Peppy.

"I know," Interrupted Fox. "I understand. No hard feelings."

"That's right," Said Falco, nodding. "We got to the same place in the end, and Andross is dead, so... What's it matter what happened along the way?"

Everyone agreed and Peppy poured them all a second glass of champagne.

"Fox?" He prodded, shaking the bottle to try to get Fox to hold out his glass.

The vulpine shook his head. "I'm good. I've had enough," He assured him.

"You sure?" Peppy asked. "Because it's a special night, and —"

"Peppy," Fox cut in, smiling. "I know, and I'm having a great time talking to you all, so don't worry about that. I don't need alcohol to be happy."

 _Thank god I learned **that** lesson, _Fox thought.

"Sounds like a thinly-veiled criticism to me..." Peppy muttered, chuckling. "Alright. Suit yourself. As long as you're having a good time, that's all I care about."

"I am," Fox assured him, nodding vigorously.

They continued talking, laughing, and sharing stories of the long, bitter war with Andross until Slippy nearly passed out and Peppy could barely stand.

"Sli-pp, I'm g'nna... Help you to bed... You're not g'nna m-makeit on your own," Peppy eventually muttered, placing a hand on the frog's shoulder.

Suddenly, a door burst open and ROB64 made his way into the room. "Both of you are... Incredibly intoxicated," It determined, its mechanisms whirring away as it calculated the best course of action. "It would be unsafe for you to carry Slippy. You are barely able to walk, yourself. I will relocate Slippy."

Peppy hummed. "Tha-thing may be ugly as sin, but... Least it c'n carry heavy loads..."

Slippy uttered a quiet protest and was then scooped up into the robot's arms, who left the room almost immediately.

"I'm... Off to bed, boys. Maybe I didn't need to open... That bottle of whiskey..."

Fox snorted, rolling his eyes. "Andross is dead and the galaxy is safe. What else is there to do  _but_ get drunk? I hope you enjoyed all this. Goodnight, Peppy."

Peppy nodded, his eyelids drooping. "Yes. Thank you. Don't wake me up," and, with that, Peppy slunk out of the room.

"Never thought I'd see him like that," Falco mused, his own words ever-so-slightly slurred.

"Falco, I know you've got a miracle liver, just like you said — But how are you only tipsy?" Fox asked.

The bird shrugged. "I didn't have any whiskey."

 _"You?_ Turned down  _alcohol?"_

"Funny. Very funny. Actually, yes, because I didn't want it to get in the way of the rest of my evening."

"Ah... I see... So the only thing Falco Lombardi loves more than alcohol is anonymous sex," Fox mused, snorting.

"Shut up," Falco snapped, blushing.

"You didn't say I was wrong," Fox pointed out.

"You aren't," Conceded the bird. "Although... When you call it 'anonymous sex,' I feel like that has a bad connotation."

"Like... In what way?"

"Like... In a creepy, womanizing way."

"Oh," Muttered Fox. "Well, I mean... You  _did_ just assume this girl was into you and you're now going to have a one-night-stand with her."

"Yeah, but, like, I only do this with girls I know are just looking for a fun time," Falco explained.

"How would you know? Isn't that a little presumptuous of you?"

Falco held up his hands. "Look, I know I  _seem_ like the stereotypical misogynist who just runs around hitting on women in creepy, boundary-pushing ways, but I always make sure we're on the same page and that I'm not making them uncomfortable or whatever. I don't make things flirty unless they do. Otherwise, I keep the conversation friendly and casual. Tonight — You saw what happened tonight — I waited for her to start it." 

"As long as you're sure you're careful about that, I believe you," Fox said. "But I wouldn't want a friend who's... The first thing you described. So don't do that."

Falco nodded. "I won't. I don't try or say anything until they say they're interested!"

"Good," Fox said. "Well, I hate to keep you. You should probably go get her now before it's  _too_ ridiculously late."

"Hey, you sure you're alright up here... All alone? I can stay if you want. I've had sex enough times in my life already..."

"No, no, I'm fine," Fox assured him, shaking his head. "Go. I'd like a little time alone after how loud it's been tonight, anyway."

"Alright. Thanks, Fox. You're... You're honestly an awesome friend, you know that?" Falco asked, punching his shoulder lightly.

Fox rolled his eyes, grinning. "Thanks, Falco. You, too. I'll see you tomorrow."

After Falco left, Fox made his way to the meeting room, a plush, carpeted environment that always made it easier for him to think. He sat on the long, rectangular table, swinging his legs up with him so he could lie back on it, looking out the expansive glass wall, staring into the void of space.

"Stupid," He muttered. "You're so stupid, Dad," He continued, putting his hands behind his head as he lay.

The only sound he heard in response was silence.

"That dumb window's probably, like a whole 30% of this ship's price tag. Can't believe I have to pay for  _your_ weird... _Feng shui."_

His father didn't have anything to say to that.

"Next time you take out an 80-year-loan, try not to  _die_ before you can pay it off," He said.

And then he sighed. And he felt very pained.

And then he waited until the deep agony passed.

After this crushing weight was lifted off of his spirit simply by the passage of time, his mind turned to lighter thoughts: His teammates, the nice girl he'd met at the bar, General Pepper's apparent respect for him, Kyle —

_Kyle._

Falco was currently doing unspeakable things to a cat he had no emotional connection with, beyond perhaps surface-level friendship. Meanwhile, Fox had managed to somehow forget to get the number of someone he  _had_ actually hit it off with quite a bit.

Not that he was interested in a relationship or even a one-night-stand with Kyle — He wasn't. However, his time fighting with the Star Fox team had taught him to grab at every opportunity while he could because it would be gone within a moment. Even if was being totally honest with himself, he had very little interest in the opportunity he had missed, and yet he was still bothered by the fact that he'd missed it.

Fox was no idiot, however. He knew that he and Kyle had formed an exciting, energetic connection almost immediately, and while he had enjoyed that feeling, he simply  _didn't do relationships._ It was a rule of his. It was a precaution. It was something that kept him safe.

Sheltered and bored and repressed, perhaps — But  _safe._

Sighing, Fox turned his head and looked out the window again. "I'll give you one thing, Dad. It's humbling to look out at that."

He strained his ears against the silence, trying desperately to listen for even the slightest rustle —

Nothing.

Fox licked his lips. "Yeah. Still a waste of money, though."

After lying on the table for another half hour in silence, Fox hopped off of it and began the journey back to his quarters. He'd have to pass through the bridge on the way there.

The floors were cold, but Fox paid this no mind. He was tired, and he just wanted to go to  _bed._ Stepping past a few of the ship's unused rooms, he wondered why his father had purchased such a large ship when they really only needed a fraction of the space it provided.

 _Maybe he had plans to expand the team someday,_ Fox mused.  _I guess it'd be a waste of space if we didn't hire at least one other person._

Fox reached for the handle of the bridge door, pulling it open and gasping at what he saw. 

"Yeah! Fuck me!" Shouted Jade.

Fox's eyes scanned the situation — Falco,  _naked,_ Jade was, and he was _inside_ , and  _they were —_

Upon seeing Fox, the couple froze, their jaws going slack. Fox swallowed and turned around, exhaling slowly and deliberately while he waited for someone to say something. His mind was racing a thousand miles a minute, but it was going so fast that he couldn't even comprehend any of the individual thoughts.

"Uh..." Falco finally, began, his voice shaky and his breath ragged. "Fox, I'm real sorry, we thought you must have gone to bed while I was gone because you weren't out here, so I just thought..."

Fox covered his mouth, taking a labored breath and shuddering. "Y-Yeah. Okay. I'm sorry I came in with — Without knocking. I'm going to leave now."

"I should go," Fox heard Jade mutter.

"Uh... Yeah, okay, if you think that's best," Falco whispered. "Thanks, it was fun. We'll do it again next time I come to Corneria, yeah?"

"Yeah... Maybe."

"Fox! I'm, uh, gonna take Jade back to Corneria, alright?"

"Yeah. Go ahead."

Fox crumpled to the floor like a puppet with its strings cut as soon as he heard the hangar doors open, drawing his knees in and laughing darkly at his own pathetic nature. His heart felt like it was imploding, a thousand different needles stabbing into it as his fingernails dug similarly into his knees, his fingers stiff and white-knuckled. He wasn't sure where the moisture had come from, only that it had asserted its presence in his eyes and was threatening to run down his face.

"No," He croaked, his throat tight and scratchy.  _"No,"_ He repeated, more forceful this time.

He did not let that moisture advance any further. He forced it to stop where it was. He forced it to  _retreat._

 _I won't,_ His mind declared.  _Not again. Never again._

For the second time that night, he sat in the silence and simply  _waited._ Every fiber of his being was engulfed in pain, and he just wanted to go to sleep. He didn't have the strength to stand, though.

After what felt like hours, Fox heard footsteps echoing through the bridge.

"Fox?" Called Falco, stepping into the hallway he was sitting in. "Oh! Oh... Hey, Fox. You alright?"

Fox looked to the side. "Yes. I'm just tired," He stated, his voice stiff and cold.

Falco placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "I'm tired of this, Fox. I've gotta know what's really up, or I can't help you. What's wrong?"

Fox shrugged. "Everything just sort of hurts."

"Why?" Asked Falco.

"Because I'm incapable of being happy, Falco. I'm too broken to do normal-people-things. So I can't be _happy_ like normal people. I can't drink, I can't party, I can't go on dates. I hate being alone but when I'm with people for more than, like,  _a minute,_ all I can think about is how nice it'd be to be alone. Nothing in my life makes me happy, no matter what I try to do."

Falco did not speak for a moment. "I'm sure seeing me... I'm sure that didn't help," He finally said. "I'm sorry."

Fox shook his head. "That was just the straw that broke the camel's back. It didn't really bother me that much, it just made me wonder — Why do all these things that make other people happy  _not_ make  _me_ happy? Why can't I find a way to be happy, you know?"

Sighing, Falco sat down next to Fox, pulling the vulpine's head gently towards his shoulder.

"What're you — Falco, wh —" Fox sputtered, panicking and trembling as he scrambled to get his neck out of the bird's grasp.

"Sh," Commanded Falco, leaning Fox's head against his shoulder. "Just lean on me for a second."

"Falco —"

"Oh, come off your high horse already. I'm not going to think you're weak. Just fucking  _lie on my goddamn shoulder, Fox."_

_"But..."  
_

"Fox."

Fox sighed and, knowing Falco wouldn't take 'no' for an answer, let his body go limp. Falco's body was pleasantly warm and his shoulder was comfortable and sturdy.

As much as he hated to admit it, Fox liked this.

"Fox," Falco began. "You haven't gotten a fair shake."

The team leader didn't respond.

"Everything that's happened to you has been...  _So_ unfair. And you didn't deserve  _any_ of it, man. And I know sometimes when that many bad things happen to you, you just feel like... Like you're..."

"I feel like I'm broken," Fox murmured.

"Yeah. Like you're broken. Like you can never be happy again. Like all your mind's 'happy-buttons' are broken. And I know that feels...  _Awful._ And I know that this might be hard to believe, but you  _can_ still be happy, Fox."

"Believe me, I've tried," Muttered Fox.

"I know. And that's the hard thing... Sometimes, it doesn't work, so you just have to try again. And again. And again. Keep trying different things until it works. Unless you want to, like... Maybe see a —"

"I don't need a therapist," Fox snapped, flinching at his harsh voice. "And I don't want one."

Falco nodded. "Alright, well I can't  _make_ you see one. So... You just have to keep trying things you haven't tried before, and see if they make you feel better."

"Oh, do  _you_ have any ideas?" Spat Fox.

"Yes, actually. I think 99% of your problems come from the fact that you lack stable friendships."

Fox opened his mouth to retort and then closed it, biting his bottom lip.

"Yyyyyeah. You think about it and you see what I mean, don't you..."

"Peppy's like a dad. Me being 18, we don't exactly have the sort of relationship  _friends_ do," Fox muttered. "I like you, but we only talk so often, and I'm still so uncomfortable opening up to you... And Slippy — Well, I have a feeling Slippy's too sheltered to understand these sorts of things... So, no. I don't really have anybody but you. And that's probably not healthy."

"It's not," Falco agreed. "And you know what a great first step would be?"

"What?" Asked Fox.

"Don't hate me. I'm serious about this."

"Yeah,  _what?"_ Repeated Fox.

"Kyle."

Fox didn't respond.

"Make friends with Kyle, like I suggested earlier tonight. You already said you would, and you two get along so —"

"Alright, alright, spare me the whole pitch. I've heard it, like, thirty times now. If you really think that'll help me, I'll do it."

"Okay, good. I'll help you get ahold of him since  _somebody_ didn't ask for his digits like an  _idiot..."_ Falco teased.

"I'm an  _idiot_ because I'm not constantly trying to get in people's pants?" Fox countered.

"Yes," Confirmed Falco. "But you're  _my_ idiot," He said, tapping the side of Fox's muzzle lightly.

Fox flinched, squinting. _"...Wonderful,"_ He deadpanned out. "Can I get off of you now?"

"If you feel better."

"I  _do_ feel better, actually," Confirmed Fox, sheepishly.

The pair stood up and Falco grabbed him in a hug, slapping him on the back, earning another flinch as Fox's body stiffened and froze awkwardly against the taller pilot's, his arms hanging aimlessly at his sides.

"Sorry... Bad?" Asked Falco.

"No, just... I'm not gonna hug back, is all," Fox said.

Falco nodded, releasing him. "You still look a little — Your face is kind of... Flushed. Are you all right?"

Fox blushed even more noticeably. "Uh... I'm fine. I'm fine. I just... It was just weird to see you two —"

"Oh, yeah, I'm super sorry about that, dude," Falco murmured. "Is it still bothering you?"

"Well... It's more that it's just... Weird for me," Fox continued, his tone cautious and deliberate. "I haven't exactly... Seen — It's been a while since I've been forced to think about —"

 _"Ooooohhhhhhhhh,"_ Falco nodded. "So you're, like,  _flustered_ now, right?"

A shit-eating grin had appeared on the bird's face. Fox, meanwhile, went absolutely crimson in the face.

"Wha — I — No, that's not what I — I never... I never said anything like that!" Fox stammered, his heart thumping powerfully in his chest as embarrassment coursed through his veins.

"Hey, listen, Fox," Began Falco, his smile widening. "We're just  _bros,_ you know, so I mean... As long as you didn't  _tell_ anybody... And as long as we did it in a way where it  _totally_ wasn't gay...  _I'd_ jerk you off, Fox," He finished, barely able to contain his laughter as he watched what was left of Fox's composure crumble to pieces before him.

"Fuckyou," Spat Fox, his face taking on the hue of a tomato. "Fuckoff. Fuckyou, you piece of shit. God damn bird.  _Fuck."_

"Hey, you didn't say 'no,'" Falco prodded.

"I think I'm alright, Falco," Fox said, dryly, unable to stop a small smirk from crossing his face in spite of it all.

"Man, I love you, you fantastic sonuvabitch," Falco said, laughing.

"I stand by what I said earlier. I hate you," Fox said, crossing his arms and mustering a slight smile. "Anyway, it's... Been a long night. I'm gonna go to bed."

"Sure, sure, I got you," Said Falco, nodding. "You get some sleep. And, hey, I know what I do might be annoying sometimes... Getting all up in your business and telling you what I think's best for you, and all... But I really am just trying to help you feel happier."

Fox swallowed. "I know, Falco. Thanks. It means a lot to me."

"Goodnight, Fox."

Sighing, Fox turned away and began walking through the bridge towards his quarters.

"Goodnight, Bird."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all enjoyed. As always, feel free to leave thoughts, comments, criticisms, suggestions, etc. in the comments :)


	3. Perspective

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (I have nothing in common with Kyle in terms of having a stepparent, military parent, or single mother, so if I've portrayed anything in a way that you feel is grossly inaccurate, please let me know).
> 
> I won't waste your time with a long list of excuses. Speed round: I was out of town for a week, _terribly_ under the weather for a week, and then lazy for a week. I think that accounts for all the time I didn't update — A lot of it was most certainly my fault, and I admit that!
> 
> If it feels like this chapter is essentially just a mirror image of the last one in terms of structure, that's... No accident. If you're getting bored of the "Series of Conversations" structure (I'd understand that), don't worry. It's on its way out the door. We'll be getting some action soon :)

The room was buzzing, a sense of urgency spreading from one student to the next as everyone began to shove their books and papers into their bags. Kyle's eyes flitted to a clock on the wall, confirming his suspicions: There were two minutes left in this class period. He began to slowly slide his belongings toward the edge of the desk, opening his backpack with his other hand.

"Oh, no, no, no!" The teacher suddenly cried, a grin on her face. "We're not done yet."

Everyone sighed and settled back into their seats as their Samoyed instructor finished her lesson, her tail swishing back and forth nervously.

"So, anyway, as I'm sure many of you know, after these climate control stations were established on Fichina, space pirates wiped out the small Cornerian force we'd sent to defend the workers building the military base. They overran us easily and took control of the planet, receiving ammo shipments for months under false pretenses, before James Fox's team went and chased them out for us. Now, it houses a complete Cornerian base and many of the army's most closely-guarded secrets, and it's unlikely that —" The teacher was cut off by a loud bell, earning a groan from her as the students began packing up once more. "Alright, we'll talk about this on Monday. That was most of the lesson, anyway. Please remember we have exams in just a few weeks and we'll be done with new material by the end of next week."

Kyle shut his eyes, biting his bottom lip as the words sank in. Exams meant graduation, and graduation meant the army. And, for someone like him, the army most certainly meant death, one way or another.

"Kyle, can I see you, please?" Asked the teacher, her eyes soft and filled with concern.

The fox made his way to her desk slowly, trying to muster a smile despite the toll this last week had taken on him.

"Yes, Ms. Atsushi?" Kyle asked.

 _"You_ seem awfully eager to get out of class today!" She mused, smiling still. "Is everything alright?"

"Oh — Yes, I'm fine," Kyle hurriedly explained.

"It's just that you're  _never_ trying to leave early, so I wanted to make sure nothing was wrong," Ms. Atsushi said.

"Yeah, I'm... I'm just tired. Long week. And I'm just starting to feel done with school, you know?"

Ms. Atsushi nodded. "I understand. Everyone gets that way in their last year. But you can't forget your passion for history! For my sake, that is... Because you're the only one in the whole city besides me who gives a damn — Pardon my language — And it'd be a crime to give up on that."

Kyle smirked, rolling his eyes. "You are the  _epitome_ of a teacher, in all possible ways."

Shrugging, Ms. Atsushi crossed her arms. "What can I say? I  _am_ the best at what I do, after all."

The fox laughed. "Alright, we get it; I'll cry when I have to leave you. Spare me."

"As long as you know what you're getting into and you're prepared," She quipped.

"I do. And even if I look ready to leave this class, I promise I'll do well on the exam."

She squinted slightly at him, her grin widening. "You always do. It's not that I'm worried about. I'm wondering what you'll do after graduation — Considering, you know, someone like you should really have applied to the University... Well, I don't want to say  _should have;_ it's not my choice, of course... But are you at least planning to attend the University after... A gap year, or something like that?"

Kyle swallowed. "Maybe..." He murmured. "We'll have to see. I'm actually not taking a gap year. I'm — I'm sorry I didn't mention this before, I just didn't want to believe it — I'm actually enlisting."

Ms. Atsushi's jaw dropped. "You're  _enlisting?"_

"Not exactly my idea," Kyle muttered.

The Samoyed opened her mouth and then clamped it shut again, nodding as she no doubt realized just how difficult it would be for Kyle to escape his stepfather's wishes. "I'm sorry to hear that, Kyle. But you've got grit. You'll survive, I'm sure. And, besides, you'll have every officer eating out of the palm of your hand, trying to get you to come to dinner with them in their quarters. Just don't ever actually do it!"

Laughing, Kyle picked up his backpack and put it on. "You're too kind, Ms. Atsushi. I'm not getting fawned over any time soon, though."

"You're leaving right now after you just dropped  _that_ bombshell?"

Kyle shrugged. "I don't have anything else to say about it. No use talking about it if I can't change it."

"Fair enough," Conceded the teacher. "Alright, well, I'll see you Monday, Kyle."

"Thanks. See you Monday."

Kyle turned and headed for the door, before stopping in his tracks after the woman called his name once again. He turned to face her, one eyebrow raised in anticipation.

"Don't lose hope. Things are going to turn around for you. I just  _know_ it."

Kyle forced a small smile onto his face once again. "Thanks, Ms. Atsushi."

He stepped out of the doorway, turned, and began his journey through the halls. They were already mostly empty, and his footsteps echoed loudly on the tile floor. He decided that, if footsteps could sound lonely, his certainly did.

He'd miss this place. He didn't want to admit it, of course — He didn't want to think about leaving  _at all,_ in a positive  _or_ negative light — But it'd been part of his life for as long as he could remember because the Academy offered pre-school services that his mother had enrolled him in as soon as she could. She had to work several jobs at the time to keep them afloat, so she simply didn't have time to watch him during the day. The fact that he'd spent so many significant moments of his life here meant it'd be hard for him to let go of, but he also knew bigger and better things awaited him outside the Academy's doors.

Well, after a brief stint in the Cornerian Army, of course.  _That_ would certainly not be better.

But it'd be temporary, and Ms. Atsushi was right — Kyle was very good at gritting his teeth and getting through something. He didn't always come out  _undamaged,_ but he came out  _intact,_ at least.  _Whole._

And that was all that mattered, right?

He came to the main doors and pushed them open, stepping out into the warm air and the bright sunlight of early summer, squinting to shield his eyes.

"Well, well, well... Kyle Connolly," A voice called out to him.

He turned, recognizing a tan-furred lynx standing against the Academy's brick wall as emotion flooded his heart.

"Hey, Miyu," He said meekly, nostalgia creeping into his voice.

She stepped over to him, snorting. "You're still very gay, I see," She drawled.

"And you're still a  _bitch,"_ Kyle returned, grinning.

"What can I say? I am what I am," She retorted, gesturing vaguely at herself. "So how have you been?"

"Uh — Fine," Kyle stammered. "It's not like we haven't talked in months or something, you know."

Miyu sighed. "Yeah, but every time we see each other we just sort of  _wave._ Like, what's  _that?_ 'Oh, hi, how are you? I don't care enough to actually stop and find out, but, you know, if anyone asks, I said hi.' I mean, come on, that's bullshit!  _Does my **constant,** utterly  **devoted** friendship mean nothing to you?_ _"_ She joked.

Kyle laughed, slightly uncomfortable. "Well, I just hate to start talking to you because I always end up realizing how much I miss the way things used to be, and I think the 'wave-and-keep-walking' makes me less depressed than stopping to actually, like, check in with you."

The lynx looked away, shrugging. "Hey, what can you do? Sometimes, things change. Sometimes, you get in a fight with your best friend, and you're forced to watch as your friend group is torn apart over it, and you know it was  _dumb,_ anyway, but you're too proud to apologize, and then she's gone, and then your _other_ best friend's mom marries some military  _asshole —_ Things happen sometimes. Totally normal, general things that happen to everybody," She quipped.

Swallowing a lump in his throat, Kyle forces a lighthearted snort. "It was mostly the military asshole. Don't beat yourself up over that Fay stuff — You two would have made up if it weren't for... Everything else."

"Well, thanks..." She murmured, but she didn't sound sold on that theory. "God, it's a wonder you haven't  _killed_ him yet. How, I wonder, do you stand it?"

Kyle shrugged. "Every day's a struggle," He spat. "But, I mean, my mom loves him. So... What can you do..."

"Yes, but  _why?"_ Miyu prodded.

"I guess when you have to spend so many years working day and night just to keep your kid fed, a powerful, famous general falling in love with you is... A pretty appealing scenario."

"So you're saying you don't think she really loves him?" Miyu asked, before shaking her head. "Sorry, even though I know you hate him, this is  _still_ inappropriate —"

"No, it's fine," Kyle assured her, frankly eager to have someone to complain to about this. "I think she  _does_ love him. I just think it's... _Motivated_ by a lot of deeper psychological stuff. It's still  _love,_ it's just... Like, he's got bonus points because his life has all the structure and security hers has always lacked. And who can blame her for thinking a little structure would make me turn out better? I mean, she's _wrong,_ and I'll never forgive her for it. But I still love her, I guess. And she loves  _him._ What can you do...?" He repeated.

"That seems to be a common question in our lives — Apparently not much," Miyu mused. "Hey, I'm... I'm sorry. That sucks. And I shouldn't act like Fay and I were as damaged by the whole thing as you have been, 'cause we aren't. We lost a friend group, but  _you're..._ Going into the Army."

"Don't remind me," Kyle muttered, rubbing his face.

"-Sorry," Miyu hastily added.

Kyle waved his hand. "No, it's fine. It's... Not like hiding under the blankets will make the monster go away, anyway. I've gotta face it sooner or later."

They remained silent for a moment. A group of birds who'd been sitting under a tree by the parking lot and chirping loudly had begun walking away, gossiping about this and that as they went. This left Miyu and Kyle alone in the parking lot, with the only sound being the wind whispering through the green leaves around the Academy's seemingly ancient architecture.

Kyle snorted suddenly. "This is what I'm saying; this is why we don't talk. It's too sad."

Miyu inhaled sharply and held her mouth agape for a moment before closing it and allowing her irises to dance to the sides of her eyes, avoiding Kyle's line of sight as she considered her response. "Well, if we talked more often, it might feel less...  _Nostalgia-y_ and sad," She finally settled on. "And nothing's stopping us from talking _during_ school,it's just... Outside..." She trailed off.

"If he found out —" Warned Kyle.

"I know," Said Miyu, nodding. "But you start to miss your gay fox friend after a while, you know?"

Kyle smiled. "Right. Of course. And  _I_ miss you. But... It's like you said — Sometimes, things..." He trailed off, looking at the ground.

"Change," Offered Miyu, her voice carrying more sadness than Kyle had ever heard in it before.

"Yeah," Kyle said, sighing. "And it shocks you, sometimes. Because you've spent your  _whole life_ with two people, and then...  _Suddenly,_ in, like, less than a year, the whole thing is..."

"Over," Finished Miyu.

Kyle didn't need to tell her she'd guessed correctly.

There was a sweet smell in the air — It was that late spring, early summer smell. It was fresh, it was rejuvenated, it was  _alive._ It was the smell of a new beginning. Suddenly, Kyle was filled with the powerful feeling of the wild — Of untamed, unbridled passion; of nature, of freedom. It felt like he could run forever, or perhaps even sprout wings and begin to fly. Kyle's soul moved in that moment, and even though his feet stayed planted firmly on the ground, his paws twitched for a moment as his soul rose up into the blue skies and dashed amongst the clouds, the very definition of wild.

"I have the strangest feeling that everything's going to change now," Kyle suddenly declared. "Not just because I'm going to leave, but —" He briefly debated sharing his out-of-body experience with her but ultimately decided he didn't need her thinking he was crazy. "There's just something in the air. It just smells like...  _Everything's_ about to change. You ever get that feeling?"

Miyu stepped towards Kyle and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. It was one of the softest, most affirming gestures the normally no-nonsense girl had ever demonstrated. "Kyle," She murmured. "I've  _always_ known that, of the three of us, you were the one that'd go on some sort of...  _Life-changing adventure_ across the stars. I know that sounds weird, but it's you — It's  _always_ been you. And you're the one that's meant to take that journey. This isn't my story or Fay's story, this is — This is  _your story,_ and it always has been."

Kyle laughed. "And I was worried you'd think  _I_ was crazy. Guess I had _nothing_ to worry about," He deadpanned. "You've certainly thought about this a lot, haven't you...?"

The lynx rolled her eyes. "No, stupid. I just... Shut up!" She urged, looking away and blushing. "It's just — You know, you've always seemed like the one who'd live in misery, and then,  _out of nowhere,_ everything changes, and you're on a... Well, a life-changing adventure across the stars."

"I'm enlisting in the Army, Miyu. If I'm not careful, my adventure just might be life- _ending."_

 _"Hardy har har,"_ Muttered Miyu. "Hey... I  _do_ actually worry about that, so I mean... Please, be  _careful._ I think it's interesting, though, that you feel like you're... At the tip of the iceberg in your life, so to speak. Maybe it means my childhood...  _Premonition_ about you has some stock, after all."

"Right, because my abstract, sudden feeling is  _totally_ adequate evidence to prove the validity of  _your_ abstract, sudden feeling," Said Kyle, grinning.

Miyu sighed. "Hey, sometimes it  _is_ like that. Sometimes, you just... You know."

Kyle shrugged. "Maybe," He said. "And I'll be careful, by the way. I might go insane without my creature comforts, but I probably won't encounter much  _real_ danger. They'll realize how useless I am and put me in the Cornerian Defense Force instead of the Army. I probably won't even leave the planet. So, as long as we don't get  _invaded_ again any time soon, I should be fine. Just... Emotionally scarred."

"Well, you've got grit, Kyle. If anyone can make it through, it's you."

"That's funny, you're the second person who's said that to me today," Kyle mused.

"It's true. You always come out on top."

Kyle opened his mouth to retort, but Miyu held up her hand to quiet him. "Spare me the innuendo, Kyle. I know you well, don't I? But it's like you said. I don't want to realize how much I miss you."

The fox nodded sagely, and everything was silent for a moment.

"I was just thinking — I'll miss this place, you know?" Kyle mentioned.

Miyu sniffed. "Yeah. Me, too. You don't realize something's been your whole life until..." She locked eyes with Kyle. "Until it's about to be gone."

Kyle's throat was tightening, but he didn't really feel like having a moment of vulnerability in front of Miyu when they were having a real conversation for the first time in... Well, Kyle couldn't really even  _remember_ the last time this had happened. He struggled to keep his emotions under control, cursing inwardly as his eyes began to sting.

"It was good to talk to you again, Kyle," Miyu mused, saving him. "I mean,  _really_ talk to you."

The fox nodded. "Yeah. It was good to talk to you, too. We'll have to see each other again before I report for Basic."

Miyu's face cracked for a second, and she looked genuinely pained. "Right. Basic..."

And then Miyu wrapped her arms around Kyle and hugged him tightly. It was so unlike Miyu that he stiffened slightly in shock, before tentatively placing his own arms on her back.

"I'll miss you, you piece of shit," She said. "But you're gonna be alright," She said, pulling away. "I say that partially to convince myself, but also because I really do believe it. You're gonna be alright, Kyle."

"Thanks," Kyle said, wearing a thin smile. "Really. Thanks, Miyu. For... Everything."

"Don't thank me. When I first called you a ' _short weirdo'_ in that brick monstrosity," She said, cocking a thumb at the Academy, "It was me who lucked out, not you. And if the three of us hadn't become friends when we were so young, I don't know  _what_ I would have done with my time. No one wants to hang out with the girl who kicks everyone in the shins."

"You didn't kick us! Well, you kicked me a  _few_ times," Kyle muttered.

"And you  _deserved it,"_ Miyu declared, giggling as she remembered the events that had led to her launching her foot into her friend's leg like that. "But it was  _only you two_ who put up with... All that. I needed you two, or I wouldn't have had  _anybody."_

Kyle nodded. "Me, neither."

"Alright, Kyle. I've gotta get to work — You're  _lucky_ you don't work a job after school, let me tell you — But let's make sure we talk again before you leave, 'kay?"

"Yes," Nodded the fox. "Definitely."

Miyu nodded, smiling. "See you around."

"Bye, Miyu," Kyle murmured, his voice softening with emotion once again.

She turned and was gone.

Kyle stood still for a moment, staring out at the trees surrounding the Academy, wondering how long they'd been there...

His moment of reflection was interrupted by a buzzing sensation against his leg.

 _"Fuuuuu-ck,"_ He hissed, pulling it out to examine it.

_Hey. Where are you?_

He hastily typed a reply, his agile thumbs barely leaving the screen between taps.

_Where are YOU?_

Satisfied with this response, he started walking home, just  _waiting_ for the next message until, finally, it came.

_Funny. I'm home early tonight and wondering what's up. It's just a little late._

_School ended less than a half hour ago. I have a life between school and when I get home, you know._

Kyle was getting a call now, which he ignored. Deciding it would be better to just give a straightforward answer than to continue to subject himself to his song and dance, he typed out a more helpful response:

_I can't talk right now. I was at school, working on a group project. I'm walking home now._

_Good. Can't wait to see you. Your mom's making dinner._

Kyle scowled, rolling his eyes. " _Grrreaa_ aaaat," He forced out, waving his paws in mock excitement, ignoring the fact that the person he was texting couldn't see this gesture.

 _I just have to make my own self laugh sometimes,_ He mused.

As he stepped off of the Academy's field and onto the sidewalk, marking the proper beginning of his walk home, he smelled that sweet smell in the air again for just a second, not a moment longer than the bare minimum that was necessary to notice it.

And he certainly did notice it. Primal excitement filled his chest as he breathed it in, and visions of a wild jungle danced through his head. Yes, resources were scarce, and one faced danger at every turn — But what did that matter? There was, after all,  _boundless_ freedom.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Kyle set his backpack down nearly the moment he crossed the threshold of the house, eager to be rid of its oppressive weight. He sighed as he began tiptoeing through the kitchen, trying to make it to his bedroom without making a sound. He was used to this, but it'd been a while since he'd genuinely  _needed_ to be so quiet. After all, once a new dealer of punishments had entered his life, it had simply become no longer worth it to sneak out at night.

Part of Kyle wondered if it had  _ever_ been worth it — If he had lost those sources of happiness, was he really better off having ever had them? Didn't that just make it harder to lose them?

"Kyle?" Called a voice.

The fox stomped his foot lightly and clenched his fists, his actions visually dramatic but audibly subdued.  _"Fuuuck!"_ He mouthed, trying in vain to entertain himself with the situation.

Clearing his throat, he forced saccharine joviality into his voice. "Yes?" He asked.

"Why don't you come talk to me?"

Biting his lip and sighing, Kyle forced himself to turn in to the living room, where his stepfather sat with a phone in one hand and his datapad in the other. He looked up as Kyle entered, prompting a nearly microscopic movement of his lips that Kyle had only noticed after living with him for years. It wasn't  _conscious_ disaproval, he knew — It was just an involuntary reaction to his disappointment in Kyle.

"So you were finishing a project?"

"Yes," He lied with familiar ease.

"For who?"

Neurons fired for half a second, weighing the man's relationships with his teachers.

"Mrs. O'Donovan," He answered, confident that the two didn't really know each other.

"In the army," Began the man, narrowing his eyes slightly. "We can spot a liar, just by watching them try. We can always scare them into showing embarrassment."

It was a threat, but Kyle had heard it before and wasn't phased. He stood still, his eyes forward.

The general stared him down for a moment, his eyes boring into him, but Kyle knew what he was doing. This wasn't unfamiliar territory. Nodding slowly, his stepfather returned to thumbing at his datapad.

"You should try to get your homework done before your mom finishes dinner. She's starting in a few minutes."

His eyes were focused on his work now, and Kyle could tell he was in the clear. "Great," He murmured. "Thanks."

"Kyle —" His father began, his voice suddenly strained.

"Oh, no," Muttered the Fox.

"I just wanted to remind you that, even though I may at times seem...  _Overbearing,_ I really do just want what's best for you."

"Right, because telling me how to  _act-"_ Began Kyle.

"You always bring that up! It happened... What, once?  _Twice?"_

"I remember seven specific occasions," Kyle confirmed, his consonants sharp and articulated like shards of glass.

"Alright, well, my point still stands. I was just trying to tell you what kind of person, what way of speaking tends to appear the most professional," His stepfather explained.

"Yes, but you tried to tell me to be something I'm  _not._ And I'm not confident that it doesn't say something about your... Sub-conscious opinions..." Kyle trailed off.

"Kyle... I'm sorry if what I said was hurtful, but I've always just been trying to make the best decisions for you."

Kyle let a small smile grace his features. "And that's exactly the problem,  _Dad,"_ He spat. "On some level, I appreciate that you care, but it's not your decision to make — Who I am isn't even  _my_ decision. If it was, maybe I'd choose to appear more  _professional._ But, believe me, I tried, at first. You can't change."

And with that, he turned and left the room, heading upstairs, savoring the gentle  _thud_ of his feet.

He was stopped by his mother, who appeared out of a doorway and grabbed his wrist, gently pulling him inside her bedroom and shutting the door.

"You can't have those sorts of discussions with him," She stated, her voice soft. "I'm sorry, but I can't have you forcing me to take sides between my husband and my son."

Kyle opened his mouth to issue a fiery retort but thought better of it, going for a softer claim instead. "He's unhappy with my interests and my abilities, things I can't change. You know that. How could that  _not_ bother me?"

She shook her head, sadness creeping into her features. "I know you two don't exactly get along, but — He's an army man, Kyle, from  _generations_ of army men. You can't blame him for having... Inflexible ideas."

"It may not be his fault, but it's... I mean, it  _ruined_ my life," Kyle murmured, suddenly realizing the gravity of the effects his stepfather's parenting had had on him.

"Don't say that. There are starving children on Venom whose parents are fugitives. You're lucky."

"You forget that we almost  _did_ starve before you met Sugardaddy," Kyle pointed out.

"Don't call him that; I love him!" His mother snapped. "And don't say that like it's my fault."

"Oh, it isn't. I know how hard you worked to keep things as close to alright as they could be. I just wonder why you'd even  _have_ me if you knew you couldn't —" Kyle ventured, eager to use this as an opportunity to confirm a long-held suspicion of his and close enough to his mother to know what buttons to push to get the answer out of her.

She grabbed his wrist, hellfire blazing in her eyes as she responded. "You weren't a  _choice,_ Kyle. And, of course,  _ **he,"**_ She spat, "Was gone the moment we found out, and even though he was  _awful,_ he could have at  _least_ made some  _money_ for us!"

He stood still, letting this information wash over him. He'd always known, and yet, hearing it from his dear mother's exasperated mouth made his throat tighten a little.

"I'm sorry," She murmured, sighing. "I never wanted you to know."

"I always sort of knew," Kyle assured her, his voice soft. "I'm not an idiot, Mom, and when your mother's working that many jobs and you  _don't_ have a dad, you — You know why."

"But I didn't want you to think of yourself as an accident. I love you, and even though I don't exactly like the  _circumstances_ that put you here, I'm so glad I have you."

Kyle bit his lip. "I l-ove you, too," He forced out. "Aside from all the... Bullshit."

"Language," She snapped, before smiling slightly. "I'm happy to hear that, though."

"I don't hate you, Mom, even if I'm..." He trailed off, searching for the right word. "Difficult," He finally decided. "I just... Can't stand who you married, that's all."

She crossed her arms, huffing. "Well,  _that_ doesn't get us anywhere. I'm not divorcing a man I love just because you don't like him."

"I know. And I  _do_ appreciate everything you did to keep us afloat, by the way. That wasn't sarcasm. When I said that, I meant it. And I'm so thankful for the many gifts you've given me, mainly your sass," He joked, looking at the floor. "But I also... I can't believe you'd let him — I mean, in just a month I'll..." Kyle trailed off.

Kyle hadn't been afraid of many things in his life. The experience was new, and he wasn't quite sure how to deal with these unfamiliar feelings.

"You're going to be fine," Kyle's mother assured him, placing a firm hand on his shoulder and ignoring the way he flinched. "The reality is, deployment is unfair. If you've got family in the military, you aren't going  _anywhere."_

"But I  _want_ to go somewhere. It's not that I hate you, but — I need my space. I need to go live my life and do my own thing for a little while. I need to have my adventure," He murmured, smiling at the cheesiness of it all.

"Right, and you don't want to be boxed in by what some army man is telling you to do?" His mother guessed.

"Exactly," Sighed Kyle, realizing something.

 _Despite all the bullshit,_ His mind repeated.  _She **does** understand me._

"I don't know what to tell you, other than that he thinks this will be good for you, and I do, too. It's only a year — And you could do with some structure, anyway."

"You know why he  _really_ wants me to have structure, right?" Kyle asked, a hint of ice slipping into his voice.

"That's not true," She stated, shaking her head decisively. "You're wrong about him. It's not just... A clever way to... Keep you from..."

"I  _do_ love you," Kyle interrupted. "And you can believe whatever you want. But you're wrong. You're just wrong."

"You also got my stubbornness, and I suppose I can't convince you, can I..." His mother mused.

"Your parents told you not to go the city. They said you'd be too irresponsible. But you went anyway, and it was  _awful,_ but at the end of it all... You're here. Nice house, stable marriage, devil of a child... All in all, life's good. Don't you still believe in that story?"

"Funny," She said. "But you can't paint me as a hypocrite. I only told the story in such an optimistic light when you were young and I was young and I didn't realize that recovery was impossible. Risky decisions like the ones I made, you don't... You don't ever truly go back to being soft and innocent. I always thought that once I met someone like your dad —" Kyle bristled at that one — "All the scars would go away, and I'd act like a normal woman again. But I still have moments of panic, I still have my anxieties — It'll be good for you to have just a year in our army before you go off on your own. That way, you can take your risks and have your fun and make your mistakes and  _learn to be an adult,_ but... You won't go as far as I did. You'll be just a little more disciplined."

She waited, but Kyle didn't respond. His heart was slowly imploding, a chill spreading through his body as chunks of ice began traveling through his veins.

 _All this time, I knew she wouldn't stick up for me on this, but I still, in some small part of myself, held out hope that I was wrong..._ He thought.

"It's just one year," She reminded him. "I made him promise that."

The younger fox looked away, dreadfully uncomfortable. "He's promised me a lot of things," He forced out, hoarseness creeping into his voice.

He was suddenly swept up in the vixen's embrace, her arms encircling him tightly. "I won't let you stay there a day longer than a year. I promise," She said, pulling away to look him in the eyes. "You'll be fine. I'll make sure he doesn't let  _anything_ happen to you."

"...Don't be  _lame_ about it, though," Kyle cautioned, a small smile playing on his lips.

"Of course not," She confirmed. "Look, I know I haven't  _always_ done the thing that makes you happy. But I've always done the thing that I thought was best. And I know you think he and I have both been... Well, I won't sugarcoat it because  _you_ wouldn't sugarcoat it. You think he and I have been  _dead_ wrong, many more times than one."

"Mostly him. But yes."

"Well, that's the great thing about your parents being wrong. You and I... We both like being a little disobedient sometimes, right? We both like feeling like we were right all along. We both like getting to be mad at people who've wronged us. And if we're wrong about this, you get to spend your  _whole_ life being pissed off about it, if that's what you want."

"Not gonna lie," Kyle muttered. "Pretty enticing."

"Yeah, and maybe someday you'll learn what I learned, and realize there's a  _balance_ to that, and that your parents were... Maybe sort of right," She forced out, her voice accelerating as she neared the end. "Or maybe not. But, either way, this'll just train you to be strong. To survive, even when you don't like something."

Kyle thought for a moment. "Okay, so there's  _no_ chance of me convincing you, right?"

"No, sorry," The vixen confirmed, waving her paw. "Non-negotiable. At first, it wasn't my choice, but I agree with your father, now. But you shouldn't be worried. Structure is good."

Sighing, he shook his head. "I don't hate you. But you're making a mistake, and I'll forever resent you for it. You know that, right?"

She sniffled. "You are certainly my son."

There was silence for a moment.

"...And your father's, too."

"I won't ask, but you know I'm dying to know, right?" Kyle mentioned.

"Someday. I promise.  Now's not the time, though. But when I  _do_ tell you... You'll understand your own anarchism, I'm sure," She replied.

"You  _did_ hear what I said, though, right? You didn't just... Deflect it with a sentimental comment?"

She nodded. "I hear you. And I'm sorry you feel that way. But I have to do what's best for you, regardless of the costs to our relationship. I'd rather you have a good future and hate me then... Love me and turn out just like me."

"Ugh, I hate how admirable that is," Kyle spat. "Why can't I have less conflicted feelings about you? Be easier to just dislike," He joked, swatting at her with his paw so she knew he wasn't serious.

She just smiled, and it said a thousand words. In the line of her lips was the kind of heart only a mother could possess.

"I've gotta go do stuff," He suddenly mentioned, feeling awkward as he stared at the evidence of what could only be love, coming from a woman he sometimes thought hated him.

"Oh, yeah," She forced out, busying herself with a paper on the desk behind her. "Go ahead... I'm glad you feel like you can talk to me," She added after some hesitation, punctuated by the shaking of her paws as she organized her things.

Kyle stood there awkwardly, before clearing his throat and throwing open the door, shutting it swiftly behind him as he exited. He didn't have anything more to say to her, frankly.

 _Despite all the bullshit, I love her,_ He thought.  _But despite the fact that I love her... My **god,** there's a lot of bullshit._

He sighed, stepping into his bedroom and shutting the door, sitting on his thick comforter. It was a warm bed. It was a soft bed. It was expensive — Relative to what he was used to, anyway.

In short, it didn't take a genius to know it was different from his first bed in many ways.

Rubbing the soft fabric, he wondered how it was that, in the last few years, his life had so drastically improved in almost all ways — While it had been utterly destroyed in all the ways that mattered to him.

Hunger did not bother him. He'd learned to live with it. He'd never owned any particularly luxurious items as a younger child, save for a rather expensive daily routine in the bathroom — He wouldn't be caught dead with poor hygiene, after all — And he could live without nice things, other than that. Cold didn't really bother him, either, as long as it wasn't killing him. The rain was no problem.

"I wish I lived in a big jungle," He said, aloud. "That's what I wish. And all the animals... They don't know when, but at any moment they could lose  _everything._ But they're  _free._ Nothing's comfortable about it, but..." He trailed off, looking up at the poster above his desk.  _"Free."_

 _God,_ _what a creep he'd think I was if he knew,_ He thought, standing up and pacing over to the picture.

As he stared at it, he realized he'd never be part of that "select group of students." He'd never save the world. He'd never go on an adventure.

And he'd never escape to that great jungle.

"People like me don't get to the jungle," He mused, pulling the poster off the wall but being careful to not let it rip. "So it'd hurt less if I stopped hoping."

 _"I_ _'ve seen the advertisements — Don't change a thing,"_ The voice inside his mind echoed.

"I've  _seen_ the advertisements... Pssh," He spat.

He'd done more than see. He _owned._ He possessed... _In his room,_ on his  _wall..._ For a year, now, even...

"I'm such a fraud..."

But it wasn't like that was the only person he'd pretended in front of. The mystique he had tried to create around himself, in the hopes that just  _maybe_ he'd look intriguing and sure enough of himself that he'd attract  _somebody's attention..._ It wasn't a first-time-trick. He hadn't had  _any_ intention of getting the chance to try it on  _him_ that night, though.

Kyle felt like a creep for his little poster and his little obsession that had spanned years at this point — But he  _didn't_ feel like a creep for creating that mystique. It wasn't  _lying._ It was just... Blowing up certain facets of himself so they hid the other parts. He really  _could_ be that confident. He really  _did_ know his own self, deep down. It just wasn't normally that easy to see.

 _Of all the people at that party who_ _were actually **trying**_ _to talk to him and never got a chance... And_ _I, me, **Kyle —** I accidentally just **stumble** on him? Totally by accident, without even looking for him? God, the chances must have been... **Like, one in a million.**_

 _And you were always my hero. This whole last year, I thought you'd_ come _save me from this living hell. And that's stupid! It's totally stupid. It's my dumb, whiny fantasy, and it screams entitlement... That'd I'd just try to insert myself into the life of someone like him... But could anyone blame me? When I saw interviews with him, when I met him, I saw that he really was as genuine and kind as I knew he was. How could I stop myself from getting caught up in the narrative that he'd come save the Princess in the Tower, this childlike story that makes everything so **easy?**_

"But you only broke my heart."

He exhaled, his shoulders shaking.

"And the irony is — I was just a face in the crowd to you. One of fifty whose hearts you'll break in your life. 'Cus how could anyone  _not_ be madly in love with you...? So you'll never think about me again. And yet, to me, you're everything."

_Perspective... It's a funny, thing, isn't it?_

"The dream is dead," He declared. "Best get over it right now."

 _But I can always visit the jungle in a **way...**_ He clutched his chest, feeling his heartbeat — Untamed, unbridled, impossible to restrain.  _Just not... Really._

"Kyle!" Called a Cornerian Army general who'd somehow stepped into his life without his consent. "Dinner!"

_I'll do what I always do. I'll grin and bear it._

_And if I can't hold you in my arms, I'll keep you in my heart._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed. For those who are interested in my process of writing this chapter, here's a rant about writing with an OC, but it's not important to read unless you're curious about what I think about when writing this:
> 
> I was very hesitant to post this chapter, not just because I wasn't totally confident in the writing, but because I knew that the only reason people gave this OC fic a chance instead of despising it is that it's not from the OC's perspective. Yeah, that's why you don't immediately feel like it's wish-fulfillment at the beginning. Because you can always tell when an OC is a self-insert — The story is, _invariably,_ their story. It's their POV, and they have issues which the canon character saves them from, and any issues the canon character has are ultimately secondary to the desires of the self-insert and, by extension, the author. And while Kyle isn't a self-insert, I acknowledged that uploading a chapter from his perspective could create that same feeling you get when reading somebody's Wattpad self-insert — That this is someone else's story of their wish to be saved by a character who isn't real. But I still thought it was important to see Kyle's perspective. So instead of trying to stomp out that little shadow of similarity in your brain between this and self-insert, I acknowledged it and leaned into it and made it part of Kyle's character. He was always planned to view Fox McCloud as the hero that might come to save him, but also know this was a stupid and unrealistic idea. That dichotomy was always planned, but it wasn't until I was writing this that I realized how that reflects my worries about people's perception of Kyle. The idea to have his inner dialogue draw **explicit** comparisons to many people's gripes with self-insert fanfictions (my own gripes, too, I assure you) was something I only came up with while writing this as I realized how his character might be seen by a readership that I assume I'm already on thin ice with for A) taking so long to update (My fault) and B) having the audacity to include an OC/Canon ship. So this was my thought process: If you can't stop people from thinking of a self-insert fic, lean into it. Make that part of the character. Expand on Kyle's feelings that Fox is his hero and that he's nothing more than someone waiting to be saved. If you're afraid it'll be perceived as a flaw of the writing, acknowledge that it's a flaw of the character, instead.
> 
> I assure you, Kyle is a character, with his own motivations and backstory and personality, not an author-surrogate. But I knew it might not look that way. So... Why not just turn the whole last part of the chapter into a dissertation on why self-insert fics are criticized? Solid strategy! ...Right? Or did it just annoy everyone? Probably the latter.


	4. Avian Intervention

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holidays are crazy :/ But here you go! This is the last dialogue-heavy chapter, and I am _promising_ some action in the next one. If you've been waiting to see what Fox is like in battle (It's not like I've teased it like 47 times already lol), you shall soon see :D Thanks for bearing with me, all. I hope the waits aren't too awful and the chapters I eventually post are good enough to justify your continued interest in this fic. If not, feel free to leave suggestions in the comments!
> 
> On another note, I don't believe it's an anachronism or otherwise out of place for the phrase "Pardon my French" to be used, simply because I don't see why the Lylat system's anthropomorphic animals, which are based on ours, can't have originally come from Earth and retained these languages. Just... Far in the future... After some sort of depressing Planet of the Apes-esque revolt. Ahem. I realize none of this is relevant _at all,_ just — That's my personal headcanon, in case anyone was wondering, since the animals are so similar. So that's why I let that slide.

Fox was really fucking thick-skulled sometimes.

Okay, so, Falco had to admit that  _'thick-skulled'_ was, perhaps, not really the best way to describe it. Fox was smart —  _Incredibly_ so. For as much partying as he'd done during his days in Academy, it was almost a miracle he'd passed a single test. He'd done more than pass, them, however. It wasn't unheard of for Fox McCloud to  _ace_ a test, actually. Even when he annoyed Falco to no end, the bird had to give him credit: He may not have had the IQ of someone like Andross, but he was, to put it simply,  _god damn brilliant._

But  _really_ fucking stubborn.

Falco settled on this as the best word to describe his vulpine commander. The reality was, though, that he was  _so_ stubborn that it sometimes bled over into the realm of thick-skulledness. Fox was smart, yes, but he frequently did things that the bird saw as — Well, frankly,  _idiotic._

Kyle was one of those things.

Although Falco supposed Kyle was actually one of the things that Fox had been idiotic to  _not_ do — And he certainly laughed at his own ingenuity when he came up with  _that_ one. Despite his hotheaded personality, however, the avian pilot genuinely  _was_ sensitive to the fact that Fox was a traumatized, pained soul. He could never truly understand what it felt like to wear Fox's pelt, but he could at least  _try._

It always hurt him to see the way Fox tiptoed through his own psyche and through his life as a whole. That which he felt he could not deal with, he ignored. That which he felt he could not ignore, he suppressed. And that which he felt he could not suppress, he tried so hard to destroy, to completely and utterly  _obliterate,_ with no regard to the other pieces of himself he may have been knocking loose in the process. This went for everything: Emotions, desires, the most basic, primal, and undeniable urges of most creatures — It didn't matter. If some part of Fox felt threatened by it, he  _would_ bury it.

Falco felt a throbbing pain in his heart every time he was reminded just how much time his commander spent digging.

He wasn't really one for touchy-feely friendships or deeply-felt emotions, but he wasn't a  _monster._ He did have feelings, and his heart truly, honestly ached for Fox.

But he also wished Fox would just  _fuck_ somebody already.

Sure, Falco and Fox had only become as close as they were now in the last couple of years as they had prepared for the fight against Andross, but they'd  _known_ each other for ages. Two rambunxious, loud, popular schoolyard socialites are  _bound_ to cross paths, after all. Fox had been different from Falco, though — Falco was known by all, liked by some, and feared by many, while Fox was known by all, liked by all, and  _respected_ by all. It didn't matter how much he misbehaved or revolted against the authority of a teacher during their Primary Education years at Academy, he never crossed the threshold where one becomes labeled a 'rebel,' unlike Falco, who was surely known as nothing  _but_ a rebel. He was sure Fox's familial fame had something to do with it, but James McCloud was never  _that_ well-known. It was mostly just how Fox had carried himself, he figured. Something about the young red fox had been endearing, innocent,  _impossible to dislike or blame —_ Even when he acted against almost every request of an unlucky playground supervisor who was about to learn that one did not simply tell Fox McCloud to stop whatever he was doing and expect to succeed.

Falco chuckled, loosening his grip on his Arwing's controls and letting the craft drift smoothly through the vast expanse of black silk. Fox had been different back then, that was for sure.

And, in one moment, an entire person had been lost — Sucked away into a black hole. What had reemerged was not what had gone in.

The red of his fur was less bright. His claws were less sharp. His bark was less fierce, and his ears stood less tall.

The Great Fox was still in orbit over Corneria, and the azure planet seemed to glow as Falco glided past the expanse of blue and milky-white that he figured was the closest thing their team would ever have to a home — Aside from the aforementioned aircraft carrier, of course. The planet had always conveyed a sense of peacefulness, but Falco was well-acquainted enough with the political business of Corneria to know that this wasn't exactly true. It was the capital of the Lylat System, after all — Every action taken by the Cornerian Army, whether heroic or horrific, had been thought up on this planet.

"Oh, Kyle," Falco muttered. "You're down there somewhere, probably  _moving_ _on_ from Fox."

He sighed, shaking his head. It had been obvious to him that Kyle was no stranger to the game of glittering eyes and flirtatious smirks he'd dragged poor, unsuspecting Fox into. The other fox clearly got around, and Falco recognized the confidence with which he'd approached his little meeting with the Cornerian hero. It all pointed to him being an experienced veteran. The kind of person Falco would admire. After all, one couldn't simply _fake_ that kind of confidence.

And while that wasn't a bad thing — He was clearly enough of a gentleman that, if Falco  _could_  have ever gotten them together, he would have taken things slow for Fox's benefit _—_ It  _did_ mean that he wasn't going to wait around for Fox to show interest. He had other people he could go to for companionship, Falco had no doubt, and it'd already been a day since the party. People like Kyle, he figured, moved on quickly.

Falco set his Arwing to keep following Corneria's orbit, the fighter's autopilot kicking in as he reclined slightly in his seat. He may have only become close to Fox recently, as he'd admitted to himself earlier, but they'd become  _close._ Probably not in Fox's eyes, but Falco could say with confidence that he knew his vulpine companion well — His deepest thoughts, urges, and desires; his strengths and weaknesses; what made him tick — And it was absolutely clear to him that Fox was in denial about one little factoid in particular: He most certainly needed romantic and sexual companionship.

He'd never admit it, of course. He'd say that he was alright, that he didn't need anything, that he was actually  _glad_ there wasn't a relationship in his life, making everything more complicated. Falco saw the stress in his eyes, though, saw the perpetual loneliness eating away at him, the way he struggled to keep the lid on a pot of boiling water that'd been bubbling for years whenever they had to deal with an attractive young man while on a mission. He knew a relationship would be a struggle for Fox, so his honest suggestion was that the vulpine simply find someone who seemed trustworthy and then  _take care of the primary issue._ The young McCloud obviously wouldn't be interested in this sort of arrangement, though, either, which is what had led the bird to suggest a casual, easygoing, friendly relationship between the two foxes. He'd suggested it in good faith, with every intention of being a good friend — And Fox had fought him till the end on it!

And, yes, he had eventually acquiesced, but what did it matter? After all, Fox had been too  _thick-skulled_ — Or, perhaps, too self-sabotaging — To ask for Kyle's number or Datapad contact, so it wasn't like they could easily contact him. Of course, Falco was determined to fix  _that_ little problem; he just didn't know how yet. He'd be damned if he didn't find a way, though. Somehow, he'd get the two foxes in the same room, no matter how hard it was.

Would it be funny to watch Fox suffer through this interaction and eventually die of embarrassment? Yes, of course, it would be — But that wasn't Falco's reason for doing this. It may have been tough love, but Falco _did_ care about the vulpine. It wasn't the case that it simply gave him pleasure to push his friend into situations that were uncomfortable for him. No, he was doing this for Fox, because he knew Fox needed this but wouldn't dare pursue it without a little  _nudge_ in the right direction.

And that's where Falco came in — He was, after all, an  _expert_ nudger.

He laughed to himself.  _I came out here to think and to consider the possibility that I was maybe wrong to push Fox into this,_ He thought.  _But I ended up just becoming even more sure that he needs this._

Taking control of his Arwing and maneuvering the fighter so it was facing the Great Fox once again, he slammed the thruster and shot across that same black silk that housed all things that had ever been.

 

 

* * *

 

 

The next morning, Falco left the Great Fox just after Corneria's sunrise, resolving to get himself to the surface as quickly as he could. It had been quiet on the ship the day before as everyone recovered from their hangovers or, in Fox's case, a  _horrific_ sight. This morning was no different, and Falco was able to leave the Great Fox without seeing another soul. The trip down was short, as any trip could be for the ace pilot if he applied himself, and he touched down when the sun was just beginning to crest over the  _Cosantóir_ mountains in the distance that had served as a barrier around the fertile valley since time immemorial.

Members of the Star Fox team had access to rather premium parking accommodations outside of the Cornerian Military's Headquarters, and everyone knew the blue bird, so it wasn't hard for Falco to practically  _waltz_ into one of the most important buildings in the Lylat System. He tried to appear as nonchalant as possible, hoping to cover up the fact that he really  _didn't_ have a plan as he strolled towards the desk of receptionists like he owned the place. It was only partially an act — He was _Falco Lombardi,_ and this was simply how he did things, and he was  _fucking awesome_ for it. Sure, Fox was precise,  _surgical,_ and that was probably a better nature for a team's leader to possess — But Falco had learned over the years that his  _Shoot first, ask questions later_ approach definitely had its moments to shine, and this was one of them.

"Good morning, F — Mr. Lombardi, sir," One of the receptionists, the only bird among them, chirped. "How may I help you?"

Leaning on the desk and crossing his arms, Falco smiled in the most confident manner he possibly could. "Good morning to  _you,"_ He began. "I actually need to speak with General Pepper for a few minutes."

Yes, it sounded ridiculous — What, this bird who didn't have an appointment and wasn't giving any good reasons was just going to  _demand_ a meeting with the most powerful military official in all of the Lylat system? — But he knew any amount of Fox-esque politeness would only hurt his goals.

She looked startled by his directness, her lips parting for a moment while she blinked and considered his request. "I'm... Sorry, Mr. Lomardi; do you... By any chance, do you have an appointment?"

"Oh, no, I don't need an appointment," Falco drawled. "I'm here on official Star Fox business, and since we're still technically under contract with Corneria, I think it's safe to say I can meet with the General, _right?"_

She bit her lip uncomfortably, and Falco felt less than good about the fact that he was putting a salaried worker who probably didn't want to be here through something as grueling as someone too bigheaded to make an appointment but still insistent on being seen. After all, he knew he wasn't going to give up, which would make this...  _Unpleasant_ for her.

"Well, Mr. Lombardi, unfortunately... It's just our policy that, if you intend to meet with someone like General Pepper, you need to make an appointment in advance. We respect your position as a representative of Star Fox, and we respect your desire to discuss what I assume is important business with the General, but, unfortunately, we cannot honor your request to speak with him at this time."

It wasn't lost on Falco that she'd switched to a memorized script halfway through her statement — An indication that Falco wasn't the only one who thought they didn't have to make an appointment. This meant that she would be determined and his job harder.

"It's more  _important_ than the kind of thing you schedule a meeting for, I'm afraid," Falco declared, figuring that if he could just speak with enough confidence, the downright  _illogical_ nature of his words would go mostly unnoticed. "You see, it's about a lot of things... The status of Star Fox's contract, which has obviously proven itself important to Corneria's defense... Some cooperation between the Star Fox team and the Academy, which I'll need to discuss with General Pepper before we can get anything _concrete_ planned out... Some potential future assignments..." Falco trailed off, noticing the generally calm, composed face of the receptionist, which only showed a hint of discomfort.

He needed to step up his game.

"I also need to speak with him about..." Falco began, before leaning forward and dropping his voice down to a whisper.  _"The little 'surprise' we found on Venom..._ You know... Andross's —  _Pet Projects?"_

Her eyes widened as she visibly swallowed. Licking her lips nervously, she nodded. "Yes, of — Of course. The, uh... Surprise. Right... I know that's — Important, but —"

There was, in fact, absolutely no surprise on Venom that Falco knew of.

 _People just love to think they know something,_ He thought, barely holding in a snicker.

"Well," Began Falco, his tone somehow both casual and urgent at the same time as he prepared to unleash his finishing move, "Then you know why I've  _got_ to talk to Pepper about it!"

It was immediately clear that he'd done it — The final nail in the coffin.

_Commander of the largest military starfleet in decades, and I just called him Pepper._

It would normally have just been disrespectful and wouldn't have done much to help him, but after he'd already weakened her resolve with his fabricated top-secret military operation, it was just the right move to indicate that Falco was someone General Pepper held great respect for and would be glad to meet with at any time.

A  _surprise_ on  _Venom —_ And the thing he'd called the General! It was all just too exciting for her to stop and consider the fact that it was absolutely  _preposterous_ that General Pepper had some sort of close relationship of respect and honor with  _Falco Lombardi._ Few people would have been able to resist how electrifyingly mysterious and intriguing the whole thing seemed to be, and the receptionist was not one of them.

Nodding vigorously, she cleared her throat. "I understand, sir; yes, I understand; I'll see what I can do to get you in his office as quickly as I can."

Pleased with himself, Falco let a small smile grace his features as he thanked the receptionist and sat down in a chair close to the desk. As he waited for Pepper to see him, he tossed around various scenarios and lines of reasoning in his mind, testing their logicality to determine what the best plan of attack for this meeting would be. It was harder to think through than he had initially thought it would be, but he didn't let that discourage him. He simply considered what he was trying to get from Pepper and what Pepper needed from Star Fox, and how he could use their assets against his leverage.

After what Falco figured was a little less than half an hour, a young, uniformed bobcat — Surely an outcast in Corneria City — Popped out of a door behind the receptionists and called for Falco. The bird stood and followed him, allowing himself to be led through hallway after hallway without saying a word until the pair came to a large elevator built mostly of pristine glass, set in a frame of traditional Grianitemetal, no doubt obtained from the mountain-dwelling  _Carnáners,_ either through a monetary exchange or the traditional manner in which those with contemporary weaponry tend to procure items of value from indigenous peoples.

"Good _God,"_ Falco muttered before clearing his throat uncomfortably when the bobcat turned to look at him critically.

"Is something the matter, sir?" The other asked, swiping a card key and calling the elevator down.

"No, sorry, that's just — It's not every day you see such an..." He trailed off, searching for the word Fox would use to avoid being overly crass. "...Opulent elevator, that's all," He hurriedly finished.

The feline appeared to consider this for a moment. "I suppose not. We'll be going up now if you don't mind," He said as the door opened. "The door shuts quickly sometimes, so be careful not to get your tail feathers stuck in it."

Their journey up was longer than any elevator ride Falco had ever taken. He'd never actually been to Pepper's office before, and the dog seemed to prefer meeting the Star Fox Team in more neutral locations most of the time. Fox had been here, he knew, but his commander had never exactly felt the need to mention just how long it took to get to Pepper's floor. Falco understood why, but, at the same time, he figured that if it were him, this would have been the only part of his meeting he remembered.

Finally, they stepped off near the top of the building and Falco let his guide lead him down a few more hallways before depositing him in front of a rather unremarkable door.

"This is it, Mr. Lombardi. I'll leave you to it," The bobcat muttered, bowing his head slightly and turning to walk away. "And thank you for your protection of the System," He added, before stepping away and turning a corner.

Falco sighed and gathered his thoughts as much as he could before finally letting his fist fall against the door a few times.

 _"Come in,"_ Called a voice from behind the mahogany.

The pilot pushed open the door before he could think better of it.

General Pepper was seated at his desk, mounds of papers across from him and a few armchairs positioned facing him. The room was strangely dark, with none of the ceiling's lights glowing and the room's lamps dimmed. There were bags under the dog's eyes and a look of weariness in them. His paws rested on the wood in front of him, palms up, his facial expression and body language mostly unreadable. It was simultaneously thrilling and disappointing to have this glimpse behind the curtain and see that there was really nothing separating a dog like Pepper from everyone else. It was both exactly what Falco had expected and the antithesis of everything he'd hoped.

"Well... Falco Lombardi," Began the hound. "It's always a pleasure to see you, although, I must admit, I didn't expect to see you so soon after we last spoke!"

Falco smiled awkwardly — He wasn't fazed by much, but this dog was one of the most intimidating canines he'd ever spoken to. "Yes, it's great to see you, too, General Pepper."

"Please, sit down, Falco," Instructed the General.

Falco did as he was told, and then waited in silence while Pepper attempted to collect his thoughts.

"You cannot be talking to people about this so-called  _'Surprise on Venom –'_ Which is actually a better name for it than what we had, so I  _will_ take  _that,_ but you really can't be mentioning this to people."

Falco was absolutely  _dumbfounded_ _,_ his jaw nearly hanging open.

"How does Star Fox even know about this?" He continued, clearly becoming flustered as he thought about it. "We didn't even  _start_ digging around until after we'd already confirmed Andross's death and sent you all home. Does Fox —"

"I'm gonna stop you right there, General," Falco began cautiously, feeling as though he were walking a tightrope. "I came in here with a dumb reason to have a meeting with you, and I knew you wouldn't  _give_ me that meeting because you're a busy man, so I made up some important-sounding bullshit to tell one of your receptionists so she'd let me see you."

General Pepper squinted in confusion.

"I — I have no idea what it is you're talking about, General," Falco continued. "Star Fox knows  _nothing_ about it, and I promise I won't say a word of it to any of them. I'm sorry about this all."

The hound dog considered this for a moment, looking somewhere past Falco's head as he assessed the situation. "I see," He finally said.

"I'm — I apologize, General Pepper," Falco murmured, conjuring up Fox's professionalism in his mind once more.

"Don't apologize," Pepper muttered, waving his paw. "I may seem angry, but I'm just exhausted. No harm if you did know, no harm if you didn't. I just didn't want Fox to... Think this was somehow his responsibility and try to get involved. I've only been keeping this a secret because the best thing for him to do right now is  _relax._ I didn't want him trying to pull any more heroics for at  _least_ a few months," Pepper said, blowing air through his nose and cracking a small smile.

"You've got  _that_ right," Falco said, relaxing slightly. "He needs to rest."

Pepper nodded. "Precisely the reason I didn't want this getting out. It's less to do with Star Fox's clearance level and more — Your leader's sanity."

"So... You're saying it would worry Fox," The bird began. "Would he be... _Rightfully_ worried?"

"No," Said Pepper, shaking his head reassuringly. "This is nothing to worry about. I mean, it's obviously something we have to address, but it's nothing we  _can't_ address. We are still one hundred times safer than we were when Andross was alive, and Star Fox has more than done its job. We can handle it from here, no problem."

Pepper thumbed at his datapad for a second, and the room's overhead lights turned on as its lamps began to brighten. "Sorry for the lighting," He muttered. "I got a headache as soon as she told me what you said... I could already picture Fox killing himself trying to deal with some  _stupid_ relics of Andross's that aren't even threatening anybody. But, relative to the anguish I was feeling moments ago, I am presently  _overjoyed..._ And tired of sitting in the damn depressing darkness!" He said, chuckling. "So, Falco. You said you had something  _stupid_ to tell me?"

There was a friendly twinkle in his eye, and the room was bright, and Falco felt like he could almost forget the last five minutes had ever even occurred.

"Well, sir," Falco began, his fears assuaged and his confidence rapidly returning to him. "About the little tour we were going to give the Academy seniors and the younger recruits?"

"Yes?"

"Fox and I have a particular recruit who we think has a lot of potential, and we'd love it if he could be invited, as well."

"Well, by all means... It's only because of your hospitality that this is happening," Pepper declared. "Name your name."

"We don't know his last name, but... Kyle... Somebody."

Pepper's forehead took on a few creases as he thought. "Perhaps you mean Kyle Castellanos, the Katinan? One of our finest students..."

Falco's brow furrowed, too. "Uh..." He trailed off. "Look, we  _really_ have no idea what his last name —"

"He's a lion," Supplied Pepper.

"Then no," Stated Falco, shaking his head. "This one is... A fox, actually."

General Pepper's eyes shot open and then narrowed deliberately, before finally closing. "Absolutely not."

"Wha — You said to name a name!" Falco argued, trying not to become too frustrated.

"Falco, whatever you saw in Mr. Connolly was simply a mirage, I can assure you. I'm not trying to be... Well, a hard-ass about this, I'm trying to protect you from disappointment, Kyle from embarrassment, and my students and recent recruits from frustration. There are only so many spots available for this experience, and to take one of them for  _Kyle_ would upset other people to no end."

"Well, don't talk about him so dismissively, P — General! Look, Fox and I always know when we see something  _special_ in somebody, that kind of...  _Star Fox Magic..._ We've never been wrong about it before. Even when they aren't helpful or special anywhere else, we can always tell they  _will_ be helpful on the Star Fox Team."

"You say you've never gotten it wrong, but you've only ever tested that theory on Slippy," Pepper gently reminded him.

"Yes, true," Falco conceded. "But we were right. And  _Fox_ picked me, and... Not to brag, but he was right."

"Of course he was," Pepper conceded, nodding. "He's a very perceptive individual. I always give him credit for that. I just fear that... In this case, his perceptions happen to be incorrect."

"Oh, come on, General. As soon as we met Kyle, we looked at each other and — Almost at the same time; I'm not exaggerating at all — We said,  _'That's the one.'"_

And he really _wasn't_ exaggerating... Because _'exaggerating'_ would imply that any part of this was true.

"Besides," Falco continued. "We know how smart he is. He was up-front and honest about his shortcomings in the field — Which is one of the most important qualities of a good team member, as I'm sure you're aware — But Fox said he mentioned that he aces almost every written exam the Academy gives him. We could always use someone on the team who can fix an Arwing, even if they can't fly one."

"Please, Falco, be reasonable," Pleaded Pepper. "A team only needs one Slippy."

And then Falco realized  _exactly_ how he was going to convince the General.

"Do you know what happened the first time Slippy sat in the back seat of Fox's Arwing? This was, like,  _right_ when that model was about to come out, and we agreed to help test one out all because we knew Slippy just needed to know what it was like to see Fox fly — Better yet, to fly  _with_ him. And, after that, it was like a lightbulb went on. Slippy was never gonna be an ace pilot, and we always knew that — But as soon as he took a ride with Fox, his eyes started sparkling and everything started to come together for him. Before we knew it, he was dodging, weaving, and rolling his way through the  _fucking Lylat Wars —_ Pardon my French, sir — Like it was nothing. He got shy, he got into trouble — But he did fine." Here, Falco paused for a breath, only to continue when Pepper nodded gently at him.

 _"That's_ the Fox effect. This dude is...  _Amazing._ And once you see what he does out there, it doesn't matter  _who_ you are, you get that same sparkle in your eyes, and you wanna be  _just like him._ And  _that's_ what I saw in Kyle, General. Of all the people who'd get a sparkle in their eyes, his would be the brightest, and his would take him the farthest. Look, if you act so disappointed by his lack of skill... Just stick him with Fox. That crazy fox can turn  _anyone_ into a flyer, a fighter, a leader — Anything. Just you watch, sir."

Falco was almost as stunned by his own argument as Pepper seemed to be. It had started off as  _complete_ bullshit, a set of loosely strung-together points that had no legs to stand on, and it had somehow turned into a credible, passionate argument along the way. Falco didn't know anything about Kyle except for what Fox had told him their conversation had consisted of, and yet he'd still somehow been able to spin straw into gold.

Pepper cleared his throat awkwardly. His fur was standing on end and he was swallowing more than looked necessary. Two paws sat on the table, folded together in what looked like a surrender of some kind.

"It is true that Kyle has a certain... Well, it is a  _Secret de Polichinelle_ that Kyle has long... Idolized Fox McCloud and longed to meet him. No one inspires him more. And while I understand this... I still just don't know..."

Pepper trailed off, but, after hearing  _that_ previously unknown detail, Falco was sure he could win this battle. "Exactly, General, sir. He idolizes Fox McCloud — Fox McCloud is his  _hero."_ Falco didn't even fully understand  _what_ factoid he'd picked up or just how open of a secret it was, but he knew he was running with it now and wasn't going to stop. "And, in my interaction with him, I saw that Kyle was the kind of person who'd do  _anything_ to be like someone he admired that much. Besides, we really  _could_ use another Slippy... I don't know  _shit_ about the mechanics behind what we do —" Well, he was selling himself a  _little_ short, but he was trying to win an argument, right? — "And just one frog ain't enough if you catch my drift! And, one last thing... Kyle mentioned to Fox that he was gonna be forced to enlist by his dad, wouldn't it be better if he goes in with  _some_ skill and inspiration from seeing Fox McCloud just once and being told there's a possible future for him on the team? He seems pretty  _bitter_ about the whole thing, it'd really help to have an  _inspiring_ figure like —"

"Alright, alright!" Groaned Pepper, his face screwed up in mock agony but his paws covering an obvious smile. "My  _God,_ bird — Every team's got one like you, isn't that right?!"

Falco shrugged. "What can I say? I'm insufferable, I know. Fox tells me  _constantly."_

"I'm sure he does...!" Muttered Pepper, before turning to face Falco head-on and pointing a finger at him. "But you've got to add another slot for Kyle — I'm not gonna bump a future war-hero from the list and have  _that_ conversation with his parents."

Falco grinned. "Of course! No problem. What difference does  _one_ extra person make?!"

"Apparently, a  _lot_ to you," Pepper chuckled.

"Only because it's Kyle. I'm tellin' you, this kid's  _got it!_ That Star Fox Magic! I swear, someday you'll laugh at the fact that you ever considered saying no to this."

"If you say so, bird. One more question: Why did you come to me? You know I'm not _also_ the Academy's headmaster... Right?"

"Of course not," Tutted Falco. "I'm not _stupid._ But I knew if I went to someone lower in the chain of command, someone like  _you_ could change their mind back or flat-out order them to take Kyle off the list because you don't think he should be there. But if I go to you..."

"No one says no to General Pepper," Supplied the hound, nodding. "I get it. Are you satisfied with this compromise, then?"

"Compromise?" Falco asked, incredulous. "We got everything we wanted! Of course I am! Thank you so much, General. You won't regret this!"

Pepper laughed for a full minute before he waved his paw at Falco. "I've got work to do. Get out of here, you dropout."

Falco moved for the door, but Pepper called for him one last time.

"Falco?"

"Yes, P — General?"

"You were right."

"About... What, exactly?"

"Thirty years, I've been in the Army... And this is the  _dumbest_ meeting I've ever had."

Falco guffawed at that one and saw himself out, a triumphant spring in his step.

The next ten minutes passed in a blur, and, before he knew it, he was back in his Arwing, lifting off from the landing pad. Somehow, he'd performed a miracle — He'd jumped straight into the deep end, not just managing to convince Pepper to let Kyle come on this one tour, but convincing the middle-aged hound that Kyle could someday be a part of the team. And the funny thing was that he hadn't even planned to fight  _that_ battle,originally. But now that he  _had..._ He'd almost come to believe his own reasons.

As he cleared the  _Cosantóir_ peaks, he wondered if Kyle ever  _could_ succeed on the team. Of course, if he simply  _couldn't_ fly, that may have been all there was to it. But... If he could fly decently well, and he and Fox hit it off...  _Really_ hit it off...  Well, Falco figured he would be willing to take on another member, even if they weren't perfect, if it meant Fox could have some degree of stability. It didn't escape him that workplace relationships were, in general, a completely awful idea, but he knew that being a member of Star Fox wasn't really a  _job_ in any traditional sense of the word. He wasn't going to completely commit himself to the concept, of course, but now that he'd gotten it in his mind... He was definitely thinking about it.

Every logical, rational part of his brain thought it was the worst idea ever... But his instincts told him it was the best thing for Fox... To have a teammate, a true  _partner_ at his side at all times — But Falco knew he was getting ahead of himself. He wasn't fully under the idea's spell, he was just  _entertaining_ it, he assured himself.

Twenty minutes later, he found himself docking in the Great Fox, feeling still optimistic and still proud. He'd done this for Fox, his best friend, he reminded himself. Well —  _Okay, so, maybe Fox is too fucking thick-skulled to realize I'm his best friend,_ Falco conceded.  _But I am, whether he knows it or not._

He briefly debated telling his vulpine companion, but ultimately decided against it — No, this would be more satisfying as a complete surprise.

_God, the look on his face when he sees Kyle... It'll be **priceless.**_

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Kyle was worried.

For him, getting called to the Headmistress's office was never really a good thing — The questions he were asked generally boiled down to a polite form of  _"Why do you **suck** so much?"_

But this time he wasn't speaking to the Deputy Headmaster, the man whose sole purpose seemed to be terrifying students. He was speaking to the Headmistress herself, the one who actually made the decisions, the one who actually  _ran_ _the school —_ Which told Kyle that he should either be shitting himself or jumping for joy. He wasn't sure which one yet.

As the Headmistress moved on from introductions, platitudes, and phatic pleasantries, Kyle sensed something in her tone: This woman wasn't angry. She wasn't disappointed. She was confused, actually... And  _Kyle_ was relieved.

Her words passed by him in a blur, distorted by the combination of elation and confusion swirling around in his stomach. But there was one part he caught, loud and clear:

_"...And, it has actually been directly ordered by General Pepper himself that you attend this tour and watch Star Fox participate in these training exercises and simulations. I can't give you the full details, mostly because the General didn't communicate them to me and seemed rather in a hurry to get back to whatever other business he was attending to, but it seems he must have been impressed with... Your test scores. I — Forgive me, Kyle, that was not intentional on my part, I'm only surprised because I know the General places a lot of value in actual combat skill, but it is true that you are a fine student academically, and you do have many admirable qual..."_

But he didn't hear her.

He was on cloud nine — No, he stood at the gates to the  _Jungle,_ and it was  _wild_ in there.

And he was about to pounce on it all.

He was  _shaking_ in his chair, his ears were ringing, his jaw was clacking for some reason and it felt like it would fall off, and he was grinning like a child whose wildest dreams had just come true —  _Oh, wait,_ He realized.  _Yeah._

And now he was going to meet his  _hero._

_And maybe, just maybe, he'll save me..._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


	5. Training Exercise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Considering making a Discord to discuss writing, Star Fox, anything with anthro characters, etc.! Comment if you'd be interested. Also, I'm going to try to start posting updates regarding this story on my tumblr if you're interested: zed-zalias.tumblr.com)
> 
> Yeah so exams happened and I haven't been able to _think_ from when I posted the last chapter until a couple weeks ago, and then I ended up in Europe for two weeks (A whole other story) So, you know... This was, unfortunately, not on the top of my priority list. I know, not the best excuses. But, to make up for it, I give you a chapter that is _obnoxiously_ long and I apologize sincerely if it's boring or just too much lol.
> 
> In Chapter One, Kyle references Fox's "mission face." I may or may not have been looking forward to the big reveal of said mission face since I wrote the first word of this story. I promised we'd get some real action soon, didn't I?! This is also the first "Ensemble Chapter" — Other than an exception last chapter, I haven't ever had more than one POV in a chapter, so let me know if you like that freedom or prefer the stricter "One POV per chapter" style I started with.
> 
> (also the Sudoku is completely _supposed_ to be ridiculous. That's kind of the point of a madman)

When Falco jolted awake, fire flashed through his every nerve ending with the suddenness of a volcano erupting. He was flailing in his sheets, struggling against the lead that had settled in his bones and the static that had settled in his head. A sharp pain was shooting through his skull and a sort of helpless sluggishness came along with it.

Some jackass was knocking on his door loud enough to wake a sloth.

And some jackass  _had a fucking death wish._

It seemed as though someone had hit him over the head with a club, but he knew he had to fight against this immobilizing weight and drag himself to the surface of what felt like a pit of hot tar.

Especially if he wanted to sink his talons into whoever was knocking at his door and rip them a new one.

Which he did.

Falco stumbled across his quarters, memories of the night before slowly returning to him as he made his way to the door. He'd gone to a casino on Corneria, more to drink than to gamble, and he'd made a bet that a bear twice his size would pass out before he did, and he was  _pretty sure_ he'd won, and then... Well, the details alluded him presently, but his primary concern was to  _murder whoever was making all the damn noise._

Sighing, Falco activated the door's Pawprint Scanner, a device that annoyed him for two reasons: One, it had  _no right_ to be called that when all sorts of creatures who didn't possess any sort of  _paw_ had to use it; two, requiring print authentication to get  _out_ of one's quarters was the sort of thing that only made logical sense in Fox's paranoia-addled mind.

Whom — Speak of the Devil — Falco was now beak-to-muzzle with.

Unbelievably, Fox actually  _yipped_ in shock, his paws flying up to cover his eyes as a scarlet heat rose in his cheeks.

"Jesus, Falco, put some clothes on!" he squeaked.

Falco was confused for a moment before a quick downward glance cleared everything up for him.

"Sorry, Fox," Falco chuckled. "I'm so hungover, I didn't even think to make sure I was —"

"Yeah, yeah," Fox forced out, swallowing and looking decidedly  _not_ at the bird. "Do you have to go out and drink  _that_ often? I don't think anyone but you does it that frequently... You know, excluding alcoholics..."

Falco shrugged. "Well, I don't normally. I didn't  _at all_ during the War. But we've had nothing to do for weeks now, can you blame me for getting a little bored?"

"Alright...  _Fair,"_ Fox decided. "Just... Don't lose control of this, please..."

Falco waved his feathers nonchalantly. "Not a chance, Star Fox."

"Right, well," the vulpine mumbled, his eyes affixed to the floor, "we actually  _do_ have something to do today."

"Really?" asked Falco, a grin lighting up his face. "And what would  _that_ be?"

Fox huffed, shutting his eyes. "We're giving the kids from Corneria the tour. And doing a training exercise for them, too."

"You know, they aren't  _kids._ Some will be older than  _us."_

Fox ran his paw through the fur on his arm, his claws ghosting over his skin. "Right. Right. How could I forget?"

"I don't wanna screw that up," Falco murmured, a sort of ruthless satisfaction growing on his face. "So can you give me a general...  _Agenda_  for what we're doing?"

His commander looked conflicted for a moment, his eyes dodging around the room frantically before finally narrowing in annoyance. "You're  _enjoying_  this!" He decided, his paws landing on his hips.

Falco snorted. "So are you, McCloud."

Fox's fur visibly bristled. "I — You — Am  _not!"_ he sputtered. "God, you're..." He trailed off.

Raising his eyebrow, Falco attempted to fill in the blank for him. "Amazing? Lovely? The best wingman you could ever hope for?"

"No, I was going to say —"

"— Sexy as hell?"

_"— Insufferable."_

Falco laughed jovially. "That's just part of my charm."

"Right, yeah, sure," his commander muttered, itching his muzzle nervously. "Just get dressed and drink some coffee."

"Got it!" Falco chirped.

Fox's nostrils flared. "Actually, take a shower. And get a mint or something. You smell like a  _distillery,"_ he muttered, earning a guffaw from Falco.

As Fox padded down the corridor, a mischevious grin bloomed on Falco's face as he thought about the surprise the vulpine was about to receive.

_This was going to be fun._

 

 

* * *

 

 

"Peppy, Slippy — They'll be here in a half hour. You know that, right?" Fox asked, trying not to sound  _too_ aggressive.

Slippy looked up from his Datapad and Peppy sat up in his chair.

"Course we know that, Fox. We're ready," Peppy assured him.

"Are you — Are you sure? Because everything's a little... Messy."

Peppy looked around the Great Fox's kitchenette, taking in the sight of the clutter and flinching slightly. "Well... I suppose I could clean up a bit, yeah."

"Slippy, is your — The thing with..." Fox stuttered, unsure of the technical term for the simulation.

"The RSCS?" asked Slippy. "Yeah, it's... Well, the randomizers just need a few more tweaks, but it should be done in ten minutes."

"Great. Thank you both. I'd help, but I'm already late to my meeting with Pepper, so I need to take care of that right now," Fox said, turning on his heel and walking briskly to the bridge.

He was glad the walk there from the kitchenette was shorter than half a minute, but it wasn't short enough that he didn't notice the cold that crept through the metal of the ship. He'd told Peppy the heater wasn't working  _several_ times now, and he was starting to get tired of hearing that it must be working to _some_ degree, Fox, otherwise, we'd have all died by now, and really we don't have money for that right now, anyway, etcetera, etcetera, _etcetera_... The financial portion of his argument wasn't really even true anymore, of course.

"ROB! Look alive," Fox called as he entered the bridge.

The robot's head snapped up and his visor took on a familiar red glow. "Powering up...  All systems operational," he declared. "Good morning, FOX. How can I be of assistance?"

Moving to stand in front of the bridge's large monitor, which spanned most of the length of the wall, Fox cleared his throat. "Just need to make my scheduled call to General Pepper, please."

ROB seemed to process this for a moment before his head tipped slightly in a gesture Fox had come to recognize as the robot's equivalent of a smile. "You're five minutes late, commander," he quipped.

Fox snorted, shaking his head as the General's face appeared on the monitor.

"Ah! Fox McCloud, good to see you again!" the hound's voice boomed.

"Always a pleasure, General! You answered fast — Sorry I'm late!"

The General shook his head. "No problem, Fox. You've never been late before, at least not that I can remember! I knew James McCloud's kid would never be more than a few minutes late, so I just stayed ready to answer, that's all."

"I hope I didn't waste too much of your time, General," Fox forced out, embarrassment and a kind of  _smoldering_ anger snaking around his throat and threatening to choke him.

"Not at all. I needed the excuse to do nothing for a few minutes, anyway! I'll spare you the details, but let's just say the life of a general is taxing..."

"I'm sure it is. I don't want to keep you for too long, so what exactly did you want to tell me about the demonstration?"

General Pepper sighed. "Well... Know that I hate asking you to do this..."

Fox bit his lip but hoped the hound didn't notice. "Oh, whatever it is, I'm sure it's fine," he assured him.

"Could you... Perhaps... Look, at least one kid is going to ask you how they can get on the Star Fox Team. And I'd appreciate it if you said that Cornerian military experience is the best way to make your resumé stand out," Pepper finished, clearing his throat and looking to the side.

"Oh," Fox murmured. "Uh — Yeah, alright."

"I'm sorry, Fox," Pepper hurriedly added. "I just don't know what else to do. The amount of graduating seniors who are continuing on into the military is... Well, it's so low that I don't even want to tell you."

"No, I understand," the vulpine assured him.

"I want you to understand that I don't view you as nothing but a recruitment ploy," the dog continued, ignoring the fox's comment. "I'm just out of ideas. I'm at my wit's end."

"Pepper, it's really all right," Fox said, wincing as he forgot to say the canine's title but deciding that the hound either didn't notice or didn't care. "I understand. Sometimes, you just have to do this sort of thing."

"Exactly," agreed Pepper, nodding sagely. "I appreciate your understanding, then. I guess it won't really affect your current plans for expansion, though, since your first new recruit will have to serve for a year, anyway. I keep telling that man that not everyone is meant to go into the army, but he doesn't  _listen,_ he never has — Ahem, sorry. Didn't mean to drag you into  _that_ drama. I'm sure your 'future wingman' has already told you all about it," Pepper said, holding up his paws and showing air-quotes. "I'm kidding, of course... Falco promised you wouldn't get too ahead of yourselves in that respect."

Fox didn't know what General Pepper was talking about. At all. Not a word of it. But he knew one thing.

He was going to have a word with that damn bird.

"Hahaha..." Fox forced out, his paw twitching. "Right... I'm sorry, when did Falco speak with you, again?"

"Just about a week ago. He's very persistent, that one. Almost unbearable... But, hey, he got you what you wanted in the end, didn't he?"

"Right," Fox repeated, "of course. He can be a handful... But I couldn't be more thankful for him."

 _I'm gonna skin that turkey alive,_ Fox thought.

"Well, I hope it goes well, and... Even though I can't quite see your reasoning on this one, I... Hope he turns out to be everything you hoped he would be."

The commander flashed his fangs in a cheery smile and nodded, perhaps putting a little too much effort into the display. "Thank you, General. I'll make sure this is really interesting for them, don't worry! Slippy's got some really extreme settings on for the... The R...CS... The Simulation, so it should be interesting."

"Glad to hear it. Give everyone my regards, and tell Peppy we've got to go out for drinks sometime soon!"

"Will do!" Fox assured him, his voice so jovial and bright it was saccharine.

"Oh, and Fox?"

"Yes?"

The hound hesitated for a moment. "Again, I  _hate_ asking for this, but... Remember when I was trying to get funding for the development of new Arwings? And we needed to show all the top-level officials it was worth the money?"

Fox's eye twitched as he nodded. He knew where this was going.

"Well," continued Pepper, "You remember what made  _that_ successful, I'm sure... And I was just wondering if you could — Would you — I mean, would it be possible..."

"General, I'm happy to help in any way I can," Fox said.

"...Put on a show, Fox."

The vulpine nodded slowly, a familiar set of gears beginning to turn in his mind. He'd done this before, and he could do it again. Besides, it'd been natural for him, at one point — It was less like pretending to be someone he wasn't and more like pretending he was  _still_ someone he'd already been. And if he felt the pressure, if he thought the right thoughts, if he put the right images into his head, he could fall back into his own shadow. He could relapse. The ghost of a dead boy who had been not just killed but utterly _destroyed_  could magically return and possess him. And not a single thing would be able to pull him out of the past and back into the present. 

"I'd be happy to, General," the Commander murmured solemnly.

"...Are you sure?" Pepper asked, worry in his wise eyes.

"Yes. I'm sure. I'll need a few minutes before I'm enough of an overconfident jackass to  _feel_ like I'm sure, though."

"Fox — Know that... What you do for me, it's — It's not lost on me. I should really see about nominating you for a Thornpaw Award..." The General trailed off, clearing his throat. "Sorry, sorry, you've got to get back to what you're doing. I have full faith in you, Fox. This will feel like a walk in the park for a seasoned pro like you!"

Fox's ears were more than a little pink after the mention of a Thornpaw, but he mustered a small smile and nodded, his voice coming out a little too stiff. "I'm humbled by the mere suggestion. Thank you so much, General, and have a good day."

"You too, Fox. Pepper out," the hound declared, saluting dramatically before the video feed cut out.

The vulpine immediately placed his paws on the sides of his muzzle, groaning and forcing his eyes shut.

"FOX?" asked ROB.

Sighing, the vulpine cleared his throat for what felt like the hundredth time that morning. "Yes?"

"I must advise that you only  _partially_ sever the connection between Falco's face and his beak."

Fox chuckled darkly, examining his paw in the light. "I think my claws and my temper are too sharp for me to control that, ROB. But thanks for the suggestion."

"I see..." ROB said, trailing off with an awkwardness so uniquely human that Fox was surprised a robot could replicate it.

 _Well, hey, that's what you put your son into an 80-year mortgage for,_ Fox thought, feeling more than a little ashamed of this shot at James.

"At any rate," ROB said, "my systems are properly calibrated for the RSCS and, as soon as Slippy uploads the modified randomizer settings, everything should be operational and ready for action... Just thought I would give you one less thing to worry about."

The commander clenched and unclenched his paws. "Great. Plot a course to the Simulation Field for the autopilot to follow. We'll get going as soon as our... Guests get on board."

"Yes, sir."

Fox made his way back to the kitchen, which certainly looked a good deal more orderly now than it had before. Peppy was buzzing around the room, moving clutter from visible places to hidden ones with a rapidity that surprised the vulpine.

"How are the randomizers, Slippy?" Fox asked.

"Good!" answered the frog. "Uploading them to the Great Fox's systems right now. They should be ready to transmit to the Field by the time we get there."

Nodding, Fox walked past the amphibian and patted his back, earning a startled gasp. "Great," he said, turning now to lock eyes with Peppy and give him a smile of approval.

Peppy smiled back, a familiar kindness shining in his eyes. "It always surprises me how natural of a leader you are, Fox."

"Well, I learned from the best," the commander provided.

The captain chuckled. "No, you were  _born_ from the best."

Fox tried to smile, but it ended up being more of a grimace.

"Don't worry," Peppy assured him, "I'm not saying you two are the same. You're  _completely_ different. I just mean... I see flashes of his bravery and strength and resolve in your eyes. And I'm sure he couldn't be prouder of you right now."

This time, the vulpine  _did_ smile, without even trying. "Thanks."

And now that he'd had the  _fun_ conversation, it was time for the unpleasant one.

"Falco!" he shouted, marching down the hallway to the bird's quarters and slamming on the door with his paw.

"Yeah?" called the ace pilot, his voice muffled by the metal.

“I just spoke to General Pepper, and he had some very  _interesting_ things to say!”

There was only silence for a moment.

”...Oh...?” Falco attempted.

”Yeah,” confirmed Fox. “And he didn’t tell me  _what_  you two agreed on, but he told me enough that I think you and I need to have a little talk. Can you come out here so —“

ROB’s voice came through the Fox’s speaker systems, echoing through the hallway and bouncing from metal wall to metal wall. “Cornerian vessel preparing to dock,” he said.

Wringing his paws, Fox knocked on the door one last time to punctuate his anger. “Well, obviously, we can’t have that conversation now, but you need to be out here in five minutes, alright?”

“Yes, sir!” Falco called.

Fox just shook his head. “Like I said — Absolutely  _insufferable.”_

 

 

* * *

 

 

The Great Fox's hangar opened slowly, like a great beast opening its mouth to swallow its prey. The Cornerian transport  _was_ much smaller than the Fox, Kyle supposed, so it wasn't too much of a shock that he felt a little bit like he was about to be devoured. In fact, Kyle had felt like he was being devoured the whole flight here. In that case, though, his predator was his own anxiety, a bundle of white-hot disquiet that had been curled up inside his stomach for days now. His paws shook, his shoulders shook, his tail shook — Every part of him absolutely  _quivered_ in response to that ugly ball of fear and excitement and panic.

He'd felt like he'd had both balloons and lead weights tied to him ever since he'd gotten the news. There was one force within him that was so charged with ecstasy it threatened to lift him off the ground and pull him off the planet. The other force within him was a  _sickening_ dread that threatened to sink him, to drag his body deep below the crust of the fertile blue world, where it would never be seen again. As the date of the tour had drawn closer, what had once been an equivalency had become... Well, it would be fair to say the scales were a little more  _tipped_ at this point.

To put it simply, Kyle had been absolutely  _terrified_ of this moment for the last few days.

Gone was the elation. Gone was the excitement. Gone were the hopes that maybe —  _Just maybe —_ His hero would somehow save him from the impending doom that was his commissioning ceremony. In its place was only distress so powerful it threatened to shatter him into a million pieces.

The Cornerian transport had slid into the Great Fox slowly, almost as if the pilot was afraid their craft wouldn't fit in the hangar. It was certainly tight, but, thanks to their careful guidance, the ship just barely squeezed in. The Fox's hangar seemed to welcome the intrusion, multicolored glass panels on the ceiling lighting up with glee and excitement as the smaller spacecraft touched down.

Kyle shivered, feeling as though his mind were caught in a bullet-storm of worries and fears. He stretched his legs as much as the tight seating arrangement of the transport allowed, but this didn't make him feel any less like he was about to explode and shatter into a million pieces.

There were small screens affixed to the back of each seat, allowing the passenger behind to see them. They chose this moment to light up, text filling them. Frankly, Kyle was glad for any sort of distraction.

 _Standing by for Video Signal..._ They read.

 _Nevermind._ Kyle realized this would definitely  _not_ be a distraction from his anxiety, but rather an  _exacerbation_ of it because, if his suspicions were correct, he was about to see —

Corneria's Emblem flashed for a moment, and that was all the time Kyle had to prepare before a vivacious-looking, high-spirited fox appeared in front of him and sent his heart shooting off into space.

Fox was a picture of effervescence. His face was youthful, without a single wrinkle or scar, and his eyes were emerald flames that burned brighter than Lylat's sun. The vulpine's countenance was sharp and angular, but not without a certain softness hidden behind this strong façade. He wasn't particularly tall, although something about the way he stood made it seem like he used every inch to its fullest potential. He wore a stark white flight jacket with deep red emblems stamped into it and a crimson scarf underneath it, the fabric of his green jumpsuit tight and leaving little to the imagination in terms of the broadness of his shoulders, the definition of his collarbone, and the somehow subtle-yet-defined muscles that rested beneath the spotless outfit.

Kyle knew that outfit — Not much footage had made it out of the final battle of the War, and even less had been made public by the Cornerian government, but they had needed to give the news media  _something_ flashy to show. Fox had been wearing those exact same clothes when he'd taken the fight to Andross, although perhaps they'd been a little less  _pristine_ during that operation.

 _Considering, you know, the fate of the entire system rested on his shoulders,_ thought Kyle.

Fox's wrist snapped up, his paw snapping up into a practiced salute that looked almost automatic — Something which Kyle wasn't really sure why he found so attractive. "Greetings," The Fox began, dropping his paw but certainly not letting his shoulders or his head fall an inch. "I'm sure many of you know me. My name is Fox McCloud, and I fought alongside Corneria in the War."

_Of course — He's so modest that all he'll say is that he fought in the War, when in reality he delivered the finishing blow to Andross's reign. In fact, I doubt we would have even gotten to that point without him..._

Fox's tone was professional, almost overly so. It was too polite, too formal, and in those ways, Kyle supposed, a very fitting way for the vulpine to speak.  It wasn't that it seemed rehearsed; it was just  _unrealistically_ complementary and proper. Simply put, it reeked of niceties. Some of the others on the transport had let out a short gasp upon hearing him speak for the first time, but they'd become calm after that. Kyle, on the other hand, was quaking in his boots. His paws were clenched on his knees, white-knuckled and rigid.

"As I'm sure you're all aware," Fox continued, "you've been selected for a very special event. First, you'll have the opportunity to chat with me and the other Star Fox team members, asking any questions you want to have answered. Then, we'll give you a tour of the Great Fox, our mothership, and then we'll close things out with a demonstration involving the Cornerian Simulation Field. I'm so glad you could all join us for this, and I want to congratulate all of you on being selected! I can't wait to meet you all."

Kyle couldn't even  _breathe_ by the time he finished speaking. He made a strangled noise, earning the attention of a Labrador sitting across the aisle from him. She had a pixie cut and strong eyes and concern written all over her face.

"Are you all right, Kyle?" She asked.

"Yeah," answered Kyle, flinching at the weakness of his voice. "Totally fine," he tried again, holding a thumb up and smiling as brightly as he could manage to.

She nodded at him slowly. "Okay, let me know if that changes or you need anything for any reason."

Kyle was dumbfounded. "Who are you, again?" he asked,  _sure_ there had been some mistake.

She held out her paw for him to shake, and he took it. "Rebecca Clarke," she declared. "We had HL Psych together a year ago, I think...?" She looked unsure for a moment, staring off into space and searching for an answer briefly before shaking her head. "Anyways," she continued, "it doesn't really matter. I just wanted to make sure everything was alright."

Clearing his throat and not quite meeting her eyes, Kyle nodded. "Thanks. That's... That's really nice of you."

She smiled, and some source of sunshine, some great  _star_ within Kyle that had lain dormant for years suddenly burst into flames.

"Yeah. It's no problem."

Kyle felt like a spring coiled tight and ready to burst as they stepped down the metal ramp to the floor of the hangar. Everyone's steps created great  _clangs_ that echoed throughout the hollow bay, which only made the moment feel more important and anxiety-worthy to Kyle's mind. The few Cornerian chaperones directed them through a hydraulic door that opened up to  _another_ hangar bay, although Kyle knew this one was for Arwings and other fighters. There were three parked along the wall perpendicular to them, which left one inexplicably missing — Until a great roar filled Kyle's ears.

Everyone looked to the left to see the doors of the hangar open like a clamshell. For a moment, the group of animals — Mostly dogs, of course — Panicked, but they calmed down when it became clear that they weren't going to be sucked out into space. After realizing this, the next logical question was  _how?_ This line of inquiry was interrupted, however, by an Arwing, blazing through the blue energy field that stood in place of the doors. It slowed rapidly but still seemed to barely stop in time, skating for just a moment as it touched down. The Cornerians stood in shocked silence for a moment as the whine of the fighter's engines died down, being replaced by the great emptiness that one can hear in space — The sound of loneliness itself,  _deafening_ silence.

The cockpit of the Arwing popped open, and for a moment it seemed as though a great flash had eclipsed Kyle's vision, blinding him for a moment as the animals around him began to whisper in hushed, urgent voices. When he could see again, something orange was climbing out of the cockpit, and  _holy shit, it's **actually —**_

Kyle's vision seemed to go blank again. Absolute silence fell over the crowd instantaneously, like a blanket thrown over a fire. A great metallic sound echoed throughout the hangar as a pair of heavy, platinum boots touched down on the craft's wing.

And there he was.

And, somehow, he was everything Kyle had ever dreamed of.

He looked like a hero.

He wore a winning smile — Something cocky, but still  _endearing, earnest, and hardworking._ Kyle noted again that his eyes seemed to sparkle with some quality he just couldn't place. His stance was a picture of confidence: His shoulders back, his head held high, his chest puffed out.

 _Okay, so maybe it's a picture of more than just confidence,_ Kyle mused, his already-alarming blush deepening.

And then his hero spoke.

"Sorry to drop in unannounced."

And,  _bless him,_ it was the  _dumbest_ thing anybody could have  _ever_ said, but he said it with that same confidence and that same trademark smile and that same...  _Sparkle,_ and for a moment Kyle thought he saw motes of gold fall from Fox's face and glint as they caught the radiant light of space.

"So," he began. "Is anyone wondering why you didn't just get sucked into the void?"

A few animals nodded, some vocalized their curiosity — But most held their tongues. Most stood there,  _awestruck,_ unable to say a single word. And Kyle was the most speechless of them all.

_At the bar, he was — But here... Aboard the Great Fox, he —_

"The hangar you entered is for  _larger_ visitors. This one is specifically for Arwings and other fighters. My dad had them install a prototype of a new variety of forcefield. It's like a...  _Partial_  field, I guess you could say. Slippy — Our technician, if you didn't know him — Says that's not  _exactly_ what you'd call it, if we're using proper nomenclature. But you get the basic idea. Things can go in or out, as in, like,  _solid things,_ but gases can't, and the pressure of each side is preserved. He did this so we could get in or out quickly, in case the situation was really urgent. The idea is that you can theoretically leave the doors open during risky periods of time where something might go wrong, and then, as soon as anything  _does_ go wrong, you just hop in your fighter and don't have to wait for the doors to open. Plus, this way, if one person is ready to fly but the others aren't in their vehicles yet, they won't have to choose between losing crucial seconds by waiting on the others and flushing their friends out their airlock."

Everyone hummed in fascination — But not Kyle. Kyle's tongue wasn't working. His throat was dry. His mouth wouldn't move. He couldn't  _breathe._

"Now, you might be wondering why my dad didn't get this for both hangars. The short answer — And, really, the best answer — Is that  _you don't want to know how much **one**_ _of these things costs."_

The Cornerians chuckled softly at that one. Kyle tried, but his mind couldn't seem to get his body to do what it requested.

Kyle was looking right into Fox's eyes, and yet, he still somehow lost track of the vulpine for the next few minutes. He figured it mus have been that sparkle he saw in them, those motes of gold, that quality he couldn't quite give a name to but  _knew_ was there. Perhaps it was so bright it blinded him. Or maybe even knocked him out completely. Because when Kyle found himself aware of sight and sound once again, he was sure several minutes had passed, at  _least._

He felt groggy and confused, like he'd been drugged. Everything — Colors, shapes, sounds — Seemed  _muted_ to him, blurred together and fuzzy at the edges, hard to separate in his mind. It all ran together like an oil painting.

After living in this fog for another amount of time — Kyle had  _absolutely_ no idea how long this was — The vulpine was jolted out of his stupor by a question that made his ears perk up.

"Yeah, uh,  _how can I be part of Star Fox?"_ Rebecca asked, grinning wildly.

 _No,_ Kyle's mind reminded him, trying desperately to tie weights to those balloons that were threatening to drag him far, far away.  _Don't even listen. It's not happening. Better to just accept that than to get your hopes up and be disappointed._

But Kyle'd been fighting against his instinct to hope, his instinct to wish for better and to desire more for years now, and it was getting so hard to keep up the battle. So tiring. So annoying. It was going to be much easier to just give up, and Kyle knew that day would inevitably come soon. He also knew that  _soul-crushing **disappointment**_  would follow soon after.

A few people laughed nervously, but Fox didn't look like he thought it was a dumb question.

"I see you haven't given up your dream," he said, winking at her.

 _Oh my god, I wish he'd wink at **me** like_ _that some —_ But Kyle made sure to drive a cold steel knife through these thoughts until they could speak for themselves no more.

Although, it was news to Kyle that they knew each other. He decided to focus on that instead of the way his heart rate had skyrocketed when Fox's eyelid had snapped down and back up like that.

"Honestly, the most impressive thing to us is probably some time in the Cornerian military. It shows dedication. It shows a willingness to serve. And it shows that you're proud to defend the Lylat system."

The animals nodded emphatically, because  _of course they did,_ because it was  _so easy_ for them, because that was right on track for them, because that was actually  _good news_ for their dreams, but for Kyle—

Time swirled out of Kyle's reach once more as he was dragged under the surface of his own pool of negative emotion, and soon Fox was speaking once again.

"If there aren't any other questions," he said, "We'll be starting the tour." After waiting for a moment, he began to step off the wing of his fighter, confident and brave and  _wonderful in every way._

"Alright, we'll start with —"

Kyle had been in the back of the crowd on purpose, but as Fox weaved through the Cornerians to get to the other side of the hangar, it was inevitable that he'd make eye-contact with the other vulpine.

The world seemed to freeze for a moment, and those motes of gold stayed suspended in the air like stars encircling Fox. In his eyes were so many things — A question, a realization, a moment of betrayal and anger that Kyle wondered if he'd ever know the story behind, and then embarrassment. There were words exchanged between them. Not quite a fluid conversation, but  _words._ Incomplete thoughts.

_You? Here?"_

_Sorry._

_No, just —_

_Yes. Had to see._

And Fox  _blushed._

It was so out-of-character after everything Fox had done so far that day in front of Kyle, but so  _in_ _-_ character when compared to his behavior at the bar. It wasn't the first time Kyle began to wonder which side of the coin was false and which was real or how it was even  _possible_ to pivot so completely between utter opposites like that.

Lightning crackled between them for a moment more, and then the whole thing ended. It must have only taken a single second in reality, because not one other animal appeared fazed.Fox put on his rouge and lipstick again, and the show went on. He was all smiles, but it didn't look as real as before. He led them wordlessly down a corridor until he made it to a metal door and stopped.

"I'm so sorry to say that something's come up. The simulation we're demonstrating today isn't working right, apparently. I've got to go deal with that, but this is actually a blessing in disguise for you all. Your tour will be led by an original, founding member of Star Fox — Peppy Hare!" Fox shouted, perhaps forcing it a tad too much.

The older Cornerians looked at each other with eager expressions, which caused the younger ones to become excited, as well. They didn't seem to notice what Kyle had seen clearly. It was hastily thrown together, came out of nowhere, and  _obviously_ wasn't totally honest. The lie had been presented too quickly, and that made it easy to spot, at least for the other vulpine. It took a great liar to catch a lie, he supposed.

After exchanging one second of nervous eye-contact with Kyle, Fox McCloud practically leaped in another direction and was gone from sight

Peppy appeared out of the metal door with a suddenness that shocked everyone, but it especially shocked Kyle, who knew that this was completely unplanned. Peppy was very nice — But he was no Fox.

 

 

* * *

 

 

He was close enough to the bird's face to feel the heat radiating off of it.

"Falco, what the  _fuck?!"_ he shouted.

“Whoa, whoa, calm down! Did you just leave the Cornerians alone?” the bird asked, his arms crossed.

”No, I’m not an  _idiot,”_  Fox tutted. “I left them with Peppy. He’s going to show them around instead.”

“Are you sure he knows what —“

 _”Falco,”_  interrupted Fox. “Do you really think I’ll fall for that? You’re not getting out of this. What the hell were you thinking?!”

”I don’t know what you’re talking about,” the avian responded, clearly trying as hard as he could to keep his voice even.

”Yeah, and  _I’ve_  got a date with a vixen tonight. Oh, and the sand on Titania tastes like caramel! Just lick it and see!”

”Okay, okay, so I  _pulled_  some  _strings,”_  Falco conceded, shrugging. “So what?”

“So what?!” Fox shouted. “Well, let me  _tell_  you what. Pepper called me today and I looked like an absolute idiot in front of him because he was going on and on about Kyle and I didn't know what the  _hell_  he was talking about!"

"Well, did you act like you  _did_ know?" Falco asked.

"I — Well, yeah, I did, but that's not —"

"I'm sure he believed you. I bet you nailed it. He doesn't think you're an idiot; no harm no foul — Er —  _Can...Id?_ Other animal-specific expressions," the bird babbled.

"You are  _exactly_ missing why this thing you've done is bad," Fox chided.

"No, I'm not," countered Falco, "I'm  _pretending_ I'm missing it."

Fox scowled, rubbing his eyes in agony. "Right, right, great. Lovely. So you  _do_ realize that now I've got to do the simulation in front of all these animals and  _not fail at it,_ despite the pressure of Kyle being there. And if I fail, Pepper's going to be  _pissed off_ because it might be reflected in the recruitment numbers, and he already told me to, like,  _'put on a show,'_ but I won't look confident if —"

Falco grabbed Fox's paws mid-air-quote and gently lowered them to his sides. "Dude," he declared with confidence and stability, earning a slight flinch from his commander. "It's alright. It's fine. It's going to be okay. Slippy already said he'll only make these randomizers a  _little_ tougher than what we're used to, first of all. Second, you're really pretty good at pretending you're more confident than you actually are. I mean, like,  _really_ good. Third — And I'm not being nice — You're the best pilot in all of Lylat... Next to me, of course," he added, winking and earning a smile and an eye-roll from Fox.

"In the past, even when something personal was hanging over your head, you've always been able to kick back into your fighting mindset. You've always still been able to  _kick everyone's asses,_ no matter what. And this little drama with Kyle? So what! Big deal. You saved the entire system from a genocidal ape, Fox. I think you can handle a little crush, right?"

Fox had been smiling a little more with every word until the end, when his cheeks suddenly burst into flames. "I don't — That's not — We haven't even —" He sputtered.

Falco laughed and gripped the vulpine's shoulders, strong and reassuring. "You're gonna be fine, Fox. I know it. I believe in you. You'll go out there and wipe the floor with that simulation, and everyone's gonna be  _so impressed_ — Especially Kyle, who's just gonna be  _so fuckin' wet for —"_

"Hellfuck _christ!"_  Fox exclaimed, smashing his paws against his ears. "God, what's  _wrong_ with you?"

"A lot of things, Fox; a  _lot — Of — Things,"_ Falco mused, grinning.

"You know," Fox began, turning away from the bird sheepishly. "Thanks. For — For what you said. I appreciate it. I really do. But it doesn't... I'm still mad that you did that. You know, without telling me. It was kind of..."

"A dick move, I know," Falco filled in. "Believe me, I know it was. But we didn't have his number, and he'd said he wanted to see you in action, anyway, and I just thought, you know, maybe he'll turn out to have a passion for this and try to get on the team or something... I don't know, man. I was just... Trying to help."

The avian had deflated considerably since he'd started his explanation, and Fox was beginning to feel sorry for him, even though he knew that didn't really make sense.

"I know," murmured Fox. "You're very good at  _trying_ to help, Falco," he muttered, shooting the bird a wry smile.

 _"Bitch,"_ Falco shot back, ruffling the fur on the vulpine's head.

Fox squinted in discomfort but smiled even so, backing away from the bird. "Ouch, that one stung," he teased.

"It wasn't an insult, just a statement of fact. You're a bit of a bitch in heat at the moment."

"And  _you're_ one to talk?" chided Fox, looking away in embarrassment.

Falco sighed. "Listen. I really am sorry I didn't tell you about this. I thought it'd be  _funny,_ but of course, it  _wasn't..._ It was just kind of cruel. And I'm sorry. Honestly, I am. Plus, I thought maybe it'd be better if you didn't know. You wouldn't worry about it for a week, that way. But I should have said something, I know. I just thought you'd immediately say no, and I just — I just really want this to work out for you," he finished, looking at the floor as scarlet dusted his cheeks.

Oh,  _this_  was interesting — Fox hadn't seen  _this_  before.

"Why?" he asked, unsure of what else to say.

"Because I just really want you to be happy, and he seems really nice, and understanding, and stuff, so I just thought..."

Sighing, Fox nodded and crossed his arms. "I don't even know what to say to that. You're a better friend than I deserve, Falco — Even if this  _was_ sort of..."

"A dick move?" the bird suggested again.

Fox chuckled. "Yeah. A dick move."

They stood in silence for a moment, Falco over in his corner with his wings crossed and his small blush and his downcast eyes; and Fox over in his corner with his arms crossed and his paws clenching and unclenching again and his contemplative facial expression, eyes up, like he was looking to somebody above him for guidance; and the Great Fox shooting through the empty void of space as if it expected to actually find something out there that was worth being found.

"I can't stay mad at you, Falco," he finally resigned, dropping his shoulders slightly.

Falco snorted despite himself. "Few can."

"And that's why," Fox supplied, smiling a little.

"Alright, Fox. You can't keep them waiting any longer, right? You've gotta go out there and do your thing, and so do I. Right?" he repeated.

"Yeah," Fox murmured. "Yeah..."

The ship's engines roared underneath their words, continuing on with their fruitless quest, unable to see that they would someday age and malfunction and sputter and break and be unable to go any further and perhaps regret having spent so many years searching for the unfindable.

Falco put on a determined, confident face, just as he had a hundred times before.

_"Let's go show them how Star Fox rolls."_

 

 

* * *

 

 

Peppy's tour of the ship was interesting, Kyle had to admit — But it was hard for him to really focus on it when all he could think about was Fox. It didn't help that as soon as the tour was over, Peppy led them into the one room they had yet to see, and Fox was standing in there waiting for them when they arrived.

_The bridge._

He looked like a hero again — And this time, he even made eye-contact with Kyle but remained unfazed. The same broad shoulders, the same sharp eyes, the same bounce in his feet. And that damn  _smile._

"Welcome," he declared, "to the bridge,"

And, of course, Kyle knew this place — He'd seen it in a million pictures and videos, but he'd never dared to dream he'd see it in real life.

"Are you all ready for a show?" he asked, the motes of gold dancing around him like falling stars.

Everyone whooped and hollered, but, yet again, Kyle stayed silent. He was afraid he'd faint if he tried to make his body do anything but breathe and blink.

"We've just entered the Simulation Field — Thanks to Corneria for always allowing us to use that, by the way — So we'll be getting started soon. This is Slippy Toad, who I mentioned earlier," he said, gesturing to the frog. "Is everything ready to go?" he asked him.

"Er..." The green-skinned creature trailed off.  _"Mostly._ Something  _just_ went wrong with Arwing One. It's not connected to the RSCS system properly..."

Fox's muzzle parted just enough that Kyle noticed. "Did — When you say that  _'just_ happened,' do you mean...?"

"Yes, only a  _second_ before you asked me," Slippy explained. "Oh... Oh, actually..." he trailed off, and Kyle could see the panic forming on Fox's face.

"What? Is something seriously wrong?!"

"Well, no... Nothing  _dangerous..._ I'm just not quite sure if..."

"Slippy," Fox pleaded.

"There seems to be some kind of... Virus? Not in Arwing One's  _main_ systems, fortunately. I can remotely shut everything else off to isolate it to the RSCS side of things..."

"A virus? How did that happen?"

"I don't know, it could have been anything! The important thing to remember is that it's not dangerous to us. It looks like all it can do from the RSCS side is stop the simulation from working. You're right, though, it  _is_ strange that it would just suddenly show up before we start this..."

"Well, can we fix it?" Fox asked, his tail swishing slightly.

"Er... I'm not the  _best_ with that sort of thing, believe it or not... I'm more a  _mechanical_ engineer, you know? I mean, I know how to  _use_ all of our systems, but fighting a virus certainly isn't something I've been trained for. I could  _try,_ though. I'd have better luck than anyone else on the ship..."

"Can ROB do anything about it?" asked Peppy, looking at Slippy's Datapad over his shoulder.

"No, probably not..." Murmured Slippy. "We haven't made any upgrades to him that allow him to remotely control the RSCS system, and he was built before we had it installed, so it's not likely he can do much... And, besides, I can't really get in there from here. Limited remote access — For security reasons, I think."

"Anybody know anything about this sort of thing?" Peppy asked, a sort of weariness beginning to settle in his eyes as he turned to face the Cornerian visitors.

These were the favorites of the various generals of Corneria. The best. The brightest.

The most promising.

And, despite the fact that every good fighting force needs good engineers and scientists and general  _nerds —_ To which Slippy was a testament — It was no secret that a Cornerian general would only really think of  _soldiers_ as having a potential future as a general or some other high-ranking officer.

There wasn't a single animal amongst the Cornerian entourage that had taken anything but marksmanship and flight electives in Academy, with the occasional foreign language thrown in there.

Except, of course —

And before he could stop himself, before he could stamp down that small, childish voice in the back of his head that told him this was his chance to impress Fox, it had hijacked his muzzle and pushed its words past his fangs.

"I know a little bit about that sort of thing."

It was timid and shy and meek, but it certainly caught the attention of the others. Their heads turned, their eyes widened, their brows furrowed —  _This was certainly unexpected._ Who could have believed that  _Kyle —_

The bridge was silent, and every eye was on the fox.

"I mean —" He hurriedly added. "Like — I don't know  _everything._ I can't make any promises. But I've taken some hacking courses at Academy, I guess. Just a few, so I can't guarantee —"

"Son, I don't care," Peppy declared. "As far as I can tell, you're the best we've got. And I'd  _hate_ to cancel this demonstration, so... If you can go take a look, then... By all means, go take a look."

Kyle's muzzle opened in surprise, despite his best efforts to remain composed. "I — Uh — Sure, I can do that... I don't know how to... The Arwing, so if... Can someone?"

"Oh, yeah, of course," said Falco. "I'll take you over there and show you how to get in the system and stuff. I'll have to use my print to unlock the computer, anyway."

Falco and Fox exchanged a glance — Something Kyle figured was a thank-you — And then he was led out of the bridge by the avian.

"Alright, Kyle, don't take this the wrong way..." Falco murmured after the door shut. "But do you  _actually_ know what you're doing?"

"Yes — I mean, sort of. Better than anyone else, it sounds like."

Falco nodded. "Okay, cool. Well, I really hope you do, because I wanted you to get to see Fox fly..."

Kyle's brow furrowed. "And why is that?" he asked.

"Because it's gonna be awesome and you're gonna think he's, like, twenty times sexier."

The vulpine laughed. "I've seen it before, you know."

"Right, in videos. But it's not the same. I want you to see it in person."

"Trying to fix us up?" joked Kyle.

"Yeah, actually," declared Falco matter-of-factly.

Clearing his throat, Kyle crossed his arms. "Be careful, Falco. I don't wanna push something that's not gonna happen, anyway."

Falco shrugged, opening the door to the hangar and stepping inside. "If it's meant to happen, I won't have to push. It'll just happen. And if it doesn't, I'll push anyway because I'm an arrogant,  _arrogant_ bird."

Kyle snorted and shook his head.

"Alright, so here's the Arwing that's having a problem," Falco shouted, his voice bouncing off the metal walls as he gestured to an Arwing. "And it's Fox's, so  _don't fuck it up,"_ he said, grinning.

"Great. That's so comforting to hear," Kyle muttered dryly.

"Good thing he trusts me," Falco quipped, activating the print scanner on the side of the cockpit and causing the top to shoot up on its hinge. "Alright, you wanna climb in there and I'll tell you how to get in the system?"

Red rose on Kyle's cheeks. "Do I just... From the wing?" he asked.

"Yeah, yeah, just hop up there," confirmed Falco.

"Um..." Kyle trailed off, looking up at the wing sheepishly. "I don't know if I can — Like, it's really high off the —"

"Yeah, okay," muttered the bird. "Fair enough. I can lift you up."

His eyes shot to the floor, but he allowed Falco to wrap his arms around him and hoist him up.

"Can you — Can you grab it from there?" he sputtered.

"Oh, yeah, sorry," Kyle murmured, fire blazing on his face.

He scrambled across the surface of the wing, smooth and metallic, and slid down into the front seat of the fighter. It felt surprisingly normal to him. One part of him was absolutely  _ecstatic_ to be inside the vehicle that had made his hero famous, but another part of him simply felt like this was exactly where he belonged.

He wrote this part off as insane, of course.

"Alright, the computer should sense your weight and let you in. At least, the print scanner is  _supposed_ to last for a minute or so before it makes you do it again, but who  _knows,_ with how paranoid Fox can —"

"Falco, it's on," Kyle interrupted, his fur taking on a blue hue from the screen in front of him.

"Oh," murmured the bird, "alright, then. Okay, so, are you... Good?"

Kyle rolled his eyes. "I've never even used this operating system before, Falco. So we'll see. No promises. How do you open the console on this thing?"

Falco looked to the side and didn't respond, crossing his arms defensively.

"It's like —" Kyle struggled. "Like, a  _command window."_

The bird squinted at him for a moment before settling on a response. "Can you just smash the controls until something comes up?!" he burst out, his face rosy.

Snorting, Kyle began to try various common key combinations, delighting in the Arwing's accurate digital keyboard. He usually found them to be nightmares, but someone had clearly spent money on this one. It was accurate, fast, and satisfying. After some diligent key-smashing, a small black window with lime green text appeared on the screen. Kyle chuckled at the old-fashioned color scheme, wondering if this particular feature was Jame's idea or Fox's.

"Alright, I've got it," he muttered. "But this is just something I've  _dabbled in._ I've got  _no idea_ if I'll succeed or not, so —"

"Hey, like Peppy said, you're the only one who knows anything about this. So, even if it's just a little, it's better than what anyone else could do."

Kyle nodded and got to work.

It didn't take long to locate the hard drive containing the simulation's files using a simple file explorer. He set the command window's path to this location, and began skimming through the files in the explorer. It was fortunate that Slippy had acted as quickly as he had, so the virus was contained completely within a hard drive other than the one containing the computer's operating system and crucial files. He didn't see anything obviously out of the ordinary, as he had thought, so he would have to look deeper. He searched  _Antivirus_  and found the program. James had selected a relatively expensive option, it seemed... Although not expensive enough to deal with whatever  _this_  was on its own.

Much as he'd expected, he was immediately bombarded with banners and messages.  _Suspicious files detected on drive_ E:\ _— Drive_ E:\ _unresponsive — Drive_ E:\ _compromised — Please inspect error messages for drive_  E:\ _! — Failed to complete diagnostic for drive_ E:\ _, please check error logs._

Pinching the bridge of his muzzle, Kyle set to work examining the software's detailed view of the volume. The error messages didn't give him much more information, though. Most simply reported on Slippy's attempt to remotely log into the system and connect it to the Fox's simulation computer and the failure to do so. One, however, seemed slightly more interesting:  _Unrecognized file: marramao.exe._ It seemed like the antivirus had a list of all the simulation system's files and could verify the integrity of the system by checking it against this list, which was fortunate. It made everything  _much_ easier for Kyle.

The error logs came next, and they allowed him to draw pretty much the same conclusion. The process began as normal — Or, at least, it  _looked_ normal; it was a string of text coming from a system Kyle had never used before and knew nothing about, after all — But then came obvious issues.

_Error! Could not establish secure connection to Randomized Simulated Combat Scenario server... Check ports._

Viewing the contents of Marramao.exe under a microscope seemed little more than a formality at this point. Kyle had seen this sort of thing before. In fact, he had  _designed_ one of these in Academy for a project. It was relatively easy to block certain ports on a device, and if the Arwing's computer only had one or two ports through which it could connect to the simulation, that would make this connection impossible.

He opened the file as a text document, which, as he had expected, made it utterly unreadable. He searched for a few popular workspace programs until he found one that the system did indeed possess, opening the environment and setting its path to Marramao.

It was a jumbled mess, mostly — A few things jumped out to him here and there, though. First was the note left by the program's developer, kicked off with two slashes to keep it from affecting the code:  _//Opens upon launch of sim-connect.exe._ This meant that an extra line of code had probably been slipped into the start file somewhere, but Kyle wasn't exactly keen on sticking his paws into something so complicated, so he was more interested in dealing with the problem from here. The next thing he noticed was a simple line of code that he himself had written once before, one that could close specific ports on a device. He nodded to himself and continued on, combing through more text before he found the next interesting nugget of information:  _//MARRAMAO — You wanted the chance, and I'm giving it to you. You made a choice. The tradeoff doesn't occur until later, though. Enjoy it all while it lasts. And remember — If things are getting out of hand, always **Relax.exe.**_

His stomach dropped. This was — Well, it was  _absolutely unexplainable,_ for one. It didn't help that it was also vaguely threatening. But it also suggested something else to him.  _Someone had been in here before him._ It began with something that seemed to  _address_ the program itself as if it was a message meant for the developer.

 _Marramao,_ he thought,  _someone wants to speak with you, I think._

But this wasn't his problem.

Although even he had to admit, this all seemed... Too easy. There didn't seem to be anything inside the code that would rebel if he tried to delete it. It didn't seem to have anything protecting it. It seemed like he could utterly obliterate it, and no one would even notice.

So he did.

And he emptied the trash when he was finished, of course.

"Hey, Falco?" he called.

"What's up?"

"I think... I think it's fixed. I'm gonna look around for another second, though. This seemed... Too easy. I didn't even really  _need_ the command window, which seems..."

"Hey, I'm sure it's fine, Kyle. You shouldn't worry about it. Can I call Fox now and give him the news?"

"Um..." Kyle thought for a moment. "Yeah. Yeah, that's fine. But I'm gonna keep looking, just in case. God, Slippy or you or  _anybody_ could have figured that out, it just doesn't seem right..."

Falco cleared his throat. "Alright, that's fine, go ahead. Actually, can  _you_ call Fox from the screen in there? I don't have my Datapad with me."

Kyle blushed hotly. "Uh. Yeah. Sure. How do I...?"

"Turn it to Flight Mode — The little button that looks like a mini-Arwing under the screen — That'll make it easier to see the button to call the bridge."

Kyle did as he was told and the screen changed from something similar to a regular computer to a streamlined, simplified layout of a few key readings and buttons. He searched around for a moment until he found the function he was looking for. The call went through much faster than he was prepared for, however, and he was greeted with Fox's face right in front of his before he had any chance to prepare himself.

"Kyle, is everything alright?" he asked.

He didn't blush, or stutter, or hesitate; he was  _confident_ and  _strong_ and  _dazzling —_

"Um, yeah. I think I've got it fixed," he murmured.

The other vulpine grinned widely. "That's amazing!"

A chorus of cheers could be heard from behind the Fox, and for the second time that day, Kyle was sure there had been some mistake.

"Alright," he declared, "on to our big show! Slippy, let's —"

He was interrupted by a blaring siren and ROB's voice, booming across the Great Fox through its many speakers.

"INCOMING. TRANSMISSION," the robot informed them. "INCOMING. TRANSMISSION."

Some love of danger lit up on Fox's face, some version of the vulpine that Kyle still didn't know whether to view as real or as a performance, and he adopted a thrilled sparkle in his eyes.

"Route it to the bridge's screen — And the Arwing, so Kyle can see!" he shouted.

A rat's face took half of Kyle's screen, and Fox occupied the other half. Kyle squinted — He knew the simulation had some highly-realistic material, but this seemed...

The gears in Kyle's head were turning now, and he couldn't stop them. He had a few thoughts and, horrifying as they were, he couldn't seem to shake them.

"Fox McCloud!" shouted the rodent. "On behaf uh the Venomian Remnant, the Kintsugi Chain, I decleh tha' your time in this world is shor'! For the honor uh Andross and uh Venom, I shall rip your pel' from your body!"

Fox chuckled. "Wow,  _dramatic_ much? Slippy, I love how detailed you set this to be, I mean —  _Venomian Remnant?_ You've outdone yourself."

Kyle bit his lip and waited for the twist he had seen coming from a mile away.

"Fox..." Slippy murmured from somewhere in the corner of the screen, causing the vulpine to turn his head expectantly. "This isn't the simulation."

And there it was.

"What?" Fox asked, his voice shaking a little.

"That's not the simulation," Slippy repeated, more decisively this time.

The world seemed to freeze for a moment. There was a blaring silence — Nothing else. Fox's face remained stuck between glee and despair, shock glossing over his fur with a sickening sheen.

"What do you mean?" he asked, his voice quiet and meek. "How do you know? It's randomized, you wouldn't —"

"Because  _I_ worked on the randomizers, and I know they don't do that," muttered Slippy. "And besides... I didn't even turn on the system yet."

A vicious laugh rang out from the Arwing's speakers. "You lo' are  _pafe'ic._ A whole lo' uh  _ijuts,_ you are. Do you know what Andross was wor'ing on before he died? Advanced cloakin' technology. Watch  _this!"_

All at once, sirens and lights and screens began screaming all throughout the Great Fox. There were warnings for this and for that, and the radar in the Arwing suddenly transformed into a minefield of crimson stars scattered across the space around the fighter.

"Multiple hostiles detected!" ROB informed them, a kind of urgency entering his voice. "What course of action do you suggest, FOX?"

The vulpine licked his lips nervously, his eyes seeming to search for an answer as his mind visibly whirred beneath his fur. "We need to... The Cornerians, they aren't safe here, we've got to go out and fight them off from the outside. And we need everyone we can get, so — Slippy, Peppy, Falco — We  _all_  need to go out there. Will you all be safe in here?" Fox asked.

"We can help!" Shouted Rebecca, a few other animals humming in agreement.

"No, it's too dangerous, you don't understand what would happen if somebody from Corneria got hurt during this. I'd be in  _prison._ Besides, we only have four Arwings. Stay here and  _stay safe,"_ he commanded.

The Cornerians grumbled out a reluctant agreement.

"Well, you've just wasted a crucial  _thu'y_ sec'nds with  _tha'_  li'ul show-and-tell," the rat sneered. "Corneria has stolen from us. Stolen somefing belonging tuh Andross and belonging tuh Venom, and we  _will_ ge' it back... But first, we're gonna eliminate any resistance tha' migh' ge' in our way... Star'ing wif Andross's killuh."

Slippy gasped. "Fox, there's —"

ROB filled in for him. "Military-grade missiles detected. Potential for severe hull damage."

And then things got worse.

The command window popped to the front of the screen and began spewing out sequences of letters and numbers that Kyle couldn't even begin to make sense of. The antivirus had become unresponsive and a bright blue window had appeared in front of the vulpine's muzzle.

_Self-Destruct Sequence Initiating in: 60 Seconds._

And it was counting down.

"Listen, Fox, we're gonna have to go out there and take those things out  _now,_ those missiles are gonna  _sink_ us, man," Falco shouted, clambering up the side of the Arwing to yell into the computer. "I mean, we've gotta — Wait. Kyle... What the hell is that?!" he questioned.

"I — I don't know, it just popped up!" Kyle shouted. "It's gonna... Well, you aren't blind, you can see what it's gonna do. Shit, I don't know what's going on, I need more time to figure this out!"

"Figure what out?!" Fox shouted. "Kyle, Falco, talk to me! What's going on?!"

"Ssh, shut up, Fox," Falco shot back. "Don't worry about it, just get  _down here!"_

"Military-grade missiles priming for launch," ROB announced. "Must I make it any clearer that this situation is urgent?"

"Alright, alright, I'm coming — Everyone,  _stay here!_  ROB, you... Do your thing. Keep us alive. Slippy, Peppy — I hope you're ready for this."

Peppy nodded, grunting. "I'm  _always_ ready for  _exactly_ this, Fox. Always," he murmured, both patience and energy, focus and calm sparkling in his wise eyes.

"I'm  _never_ ready, Fox," Slippy muttered, attempting a smile.

"Great," Fox declared.  _"Let's do this."_

They shot out of the camera's view, and ROB terminated the connection, presumably because it was now pointless. Kyle could actually  _hear_ the sound of them running through the Great Fox, their metal boots smashing against the floors with the gravitas of gods.

_30 Seconds._

Kyle had been wordlessly smashing against the keyboard for what felt like hours now, and his time was drawing short.

 _Everyone on this **ship**  is running out of time, _he realized.

This wasn't working, not at all — He decided on a different approach, frantically poring over the text being spewed out of the system to see if he could discern  _anything_ from it.

"Hey, uh... Kyle, uh —" Falco began.

"Christ, Falco, I'm trying," he stammered. "I'm really, really trying. Give me time. I don't know what to do yet. I'm sorry."

"Hey, take your time..." Falco muttered. "All 20 seconds of it."

Kyle hissed and so did the hydraulic door to the hangar, his hero leading the charge as the trio of pilots sprinted towards their Arwings.

The only thing he noticed on the console was that one message kept getting repeated:  _TROJAN HORSE. Let your guard down, didn't you?_

"Fox, your Arwing, it's —" Kyle attempted. "I don't know, the virus, it's gonna self-destruct in, like,  _ten seconds!"_

"About that, do you have a  _plan,_ kid?!" Falco shouted.

_9_

"Fuck, I'm trying  _everything,_ nothing's responding!"

_8_

_"Son, how can we help you?!"_ Peppy shouted.

_7_

"I suggest you all have your sanity tested — Missiles only take so long to fire, even missiles this  _large and most certainly devastating,_ " ROB reminded them over the loudspeakers.

_6_

"Slippy,  _you_ know these ships better than any of us in terms of the tech stuff!" Falco shouted.

_5_

"Uh, right..." Slippy began, utterly paralyzed where he stood.

_4_

"Kyle, you can do this," Fox stammered, but his voice was weak and broken and certainly sounded like it wasn't very sure of itself. "Just —  _Think of something!"_ he shouted.

_3_

Command after command had failed to work, and he'd tried  _everything_ he knew, but the system wouldn't even turn off, he couldn't even force it to shut down or overheat, he  _couldn't stop this,_ and the fuel cells were becoming dangerously hot as he sat there,  _helpless –_

_2_

And then it hit him.

Relax.exe.

There was no reason in  _hell_ it should have worked. The command window wasn't even set to the right file path, it wasn't even in the same  _folder_ as Relax.exe, he wasn't even sure if Relax.exe  _existed —_

But there was nothing else to try.

"Good  _God,"_ Peppy murmured, and, for once in his life, he sounded resigned. "It's actually — We're  _actually_ gonna..."

"Love you all," Falco muttered. "Or whatever."

But Kyle was already typing.

_1_

_Run Relax.exe._

Enter.

Wait.

Wait.

Kyle counted in his head.

_One, one-thousand._

_Two, one-thousand._

_Three, —_

And then he stopped counting because it was clear that he had won.

For a moment, no one spoke, but everyone's ragged breathing was audible, even with the sirens blaring overhead.

"I — I think I did it," Kyle finally stammered. "I — I  _did_ it!" he cried.

Falco wrapped his arms around him. "Fuck, you saved us all! That was  _amazing!"_

"Good going, kid," Peppy murmured, a proud smile gracing his features.

Fox smirked a little at first, but this quickly broke out into a full-faced grin. He and Kyle stared at each other for a moment, a small dusting of scarlet visiting both of their faces.

Slippy just looked plain  _nauseous._

For a moment, everything was beautiful.

And then the honeymoon ended.

"Hooray!" ROB exclaimed.  _"Your death is still rapidly approaching."_

"Shit," spat Fox. "Alright, Kyle, thank you so much, but you've gotta get out of that and let me in it."

Peppy and Slippy were already jumping into their jets, with Falco not far behind.

"Uh, right..." Stammered Kyle, licking his lips nervously. "See, there's one...  _Teensy_ problem with that."

The countdown had just started again.

"What?! What's wrong?!" Fox shouted, leaping up onto the wing and hopping into the cockpit next to Kyle.

It was a rather impressive display of agility and also a rather tight space, and under  _different circumstances,_ Kyle would have been very — 

"Can you fix it?" he asked.

"I dunno — Maybe," Kyle stammered.

 _"Fox, we're getting as many of them as we can away from the Great Fox, but we can only do so much! We need backup!"_ Peppy's voice crackled through the coms.

 _"Get your ass out here, Star Fox!"_ Falco shouted.

 _"Yeah, I could really use some help..."_  Slippy murmured.

A new window had popped up on the screen: Relax.exe. It was a simple program, with a grid of grids, a three-by-three square composed of smaller three-by-three squares composed of still smaller squares. A few numbers filled the smallest squares, but most were left open. A large banner above the shape read,  _First Taste's always free. Beyond that, though, you've gotta pay._

Kyle knew he had seen this before, but he wasn't quite...

_It was fucking Sudoku._

"Do you know what this is?" Fox murmured, clearly already aware.

"Yeah," replied Kyle, "it's evidence that whoever did this is a  _fucking psychopath."_

"Alright, Kyle..." Fox spoke softly, like he was afraid to say what he was thinking. "I can't maneuver through a violent dogfight and do Sudoku at the same time..."

 _"What? Fox, what are you talking about?!"_ Peppy shouted.

"Peppy, the ship's going to self-destruct without constant supervision, and I can't do that while I'm flying," the vulpine explained.

 _"Are you crazy? If **anything**_ _**—** Do you think Pepper would ever forgive us if...?"_

Fox sighed. "Peppy, I have no other option."

 _"He's right,"_ Falco suddenly murmured. _"If whatever they have to do to keep it from blowing up is anywhere near as bad as they made it sound, there's no way Fox could handle that alone."_

 _"But he — Ow! — Doesn't even have a flight suit!_ shouted Slippy.  _"Ow! On second thought, just figure **something**  out!"_

Fox turned to Kyle, something like hope and appraisal in his eyes. "Kyle, I hate asking you for this... I hate it more than you could imagine. This is going to be incredibly dangerous. You could die... But I can't do this without you."

Falco shouted something and Peppy hollered in victory as the shrapnel of a destroyed ship  _clanged_ against the Great Fox. The sirens continued still with an air of intense urgency, a sound something like what the End of the World may have sounded like. Somewhere on the bridge, a few dozen Cornerians watched the pilots' cockpit feeds expectantly, their fate resting on Fox's shoulders, and his on Kyle's.

Fox's face was the face of someone holding out a paw for someone else to grab onto and be pulled up by. And Kyle figured this was one of those moments in life in which one's choice could change  _everything —_ A great crossroads.

There was a wooden fence, and on one side of it stood darkness and hopelessness, and on the other stood...  _The Jungle._ With all of the danger and all of the freedom that came with it.

Kyle leaped over.

"Okay," he half-whispered, excitement and terror and energy beginning to course through his veins. "I'll do it."

Fox smiled at him and nodded, and it just about gave him a heart attack on the spot.

"Shit! I forgot — The...!" Kyle shouted, turning toward the computer, only to see that the clock had just started counting down once again.

It was still at 55 seconds.

 _I wanted to give you a little time to resolve that first,_ the banner now read.  _It's only fair._

Kyle's eye twitched. "This means whoever did this can..."

"Yeah, I know," Fox murmured. "It also means they aren't really trying to kill us, just fuck with us. So I think your  _psychopath_ theory was spot-on. But we'll have to worry about that later."

Kyle nodded and began working on the Sudoku.

"Okay, even with the G-Diffusers, you're probably still going to have some circulation issues and nausea and dizziness and... In general, an unpleasant time. The harness is going to be tight if I try to get it around both of us, and you might get knocked around a lot, and —"

"Fox, just do it," Kyle interrupted.

"Alright, yeah. I apologize in advance for when we go upside down, though..."

He tried to focus completely on the numbers in front of him, doing his best to ignore the way Fox's paws brushed against him while he slipped the flight harness around them both and the one vulpine's proximity to the other.

Kyle completed the first round of the game of lethality with about 20 seconds left just as Fox was lining the Arwing up with the hangar's energy field. "Hey, this seems pretty easy, actually," he mused.

A new grid appeared and a new banner sat above it:  _Don't worry, it gets exponentially more difficult every time._

"Oh,  _fuck_ you!" Kyle shouted.

"Hang on, Kyle," Fox said, his voice louder and carrying more strength than normal.

"It's okay, I'll be —"

Kyle was not alright.

It felt like they had shot out of the hangar faster than the speed of light. Kyle rocketed backward, a titanic force pushing against him, pressing him into the seat so hard he thought he'd bust a hole through it, crushing his body with enough strength he worried his chest would cave in. Someone was screaming bloody murder, and Kyle  _agreed._ A deathly, bone-chilling cold had dropped into his stomach as a sickening heat rose in his throat. He couldn't talk or breathe or _think,_ let alone focus on a madman's sadistic game, so the grid went unnoticed for a moment. Kyle's body was shaking like crazy and he couldn't see anything but a few vague blurs in front of his eyes, a tingle spreading from his fingertips inward. Finally, the ship slowed down — Relatively, of course; they were still going faster than Kyle even cared to think about — And Kyle could, at least, catch his breath, gasping raggedly for a moment as he realized that the scream had been coming from  _him._ He shook his head and tried to focus his attention on the Sudoku once again.

"You did great," Fox commended, looking intently forward and racing towards the three other Arwings. "Don't worry, that's the worst part... Until we barrel roll," he muttered smirking. "Are you alright?" he asked, concerned when Kyle didn't respond.

"Yeah, sorry, just focusing on this," Kyle explained, finishing another round just in time. "You're..." He began.

The words slipped out before he could stop them.

"You're different," he murmured. "And this time, you aren't faking it."

"My, you're perceptive," Fox replied, jerking the jet's yoke, causing them to veer off to the right and narrowly miss another fighter. "There's no time to explain that. For now, I'll just say that when things get dangerous, he comes back."

Kyle's eyes flitted to the side and he shook his head, snorting. "Yeah, that  _really_ clears things up."

 _"Fox, get over here, we've got one cornered!"_ Peppy shouted.

"Sorry, I was trying to take care of the little bogey problem," Fox muttered, accelerating towards the others and dodging through the field of fighter jets.

"Holy shit, I'm just noticing how many of them there are," Kyle murmured. "I was so focused on this, I didn't even..."

They were buzzing around them like flies, creating a sort of protective barrier between the larger Venomian ships carrying the missiles and the Arwings by closing in around the Star Fox Team members. They almost seemed to  _swarm,_ moving with the ruthless, programmed efficiency of a hive mind. Lasers were flashing across the cockpit from all angles, Fox weaving between them like they were nothing. On the radar, there seemed to be a veritable  _blizzard_ of red dots.

"Yeah, I was wondering when you'd notice," Fox replied, jerking the yoke upward and earning a nauseated groan from Kyle. "Sorry. I'm trying to avoid rolling, but pretty soon..."

"Yeah, it's alright," Kyle responded, his voice hoarse. "Do what you've gotta do."

_1, 7, 9, 4... And in that row I already have... 3, 7, 5..._

They came to the missile carrier, which was absolutely  _humongous,_ and its payload was no less terrifying. It even had laser cannons, which it suddenly fired in order to force Slippy, Peppy, and Falco out of the way as it rocketed towards the Great Fox.

"Hey, Kyle?" Fox asked as the other vulpine completed another round of the twisted test.

"Yeah?"

"Hang on."

Fox _dove._

The Arwing fell immediately. It was plummeting like a ball of lead in a lake, but Kyle went up, up, up. He felt like he had died and his soul was leaving his body. He was flying so high he threatened to crash through the ceiling of the cockpit, the harness digging back into him with just as much force to try to hold him down. Fire was spreading through his stomach, ravaging his insides, and he must have been screaming because Fox's paw flew to his knee, strong and firm and reassuring against the terror of the descent.

They leveled out and were now underneath the ship, but Kyle didn't have a second to rest before Fox reversed course and sent them screaming upward. Kyle had completely lost control of his body. He couldn't move, couldn't breathe — Everything felt frozen in place. He moved his eyes, chancing a glance at Fox, who somehow looked  _fucking awesome_ even like this. His pupils were sharp and determined, his muzzle lowered in focus, his paws gripping the yoke with strength and resolve as he began firing mercilessly at the connection between the missile and the carrier until it was severed and the explosives floated away from their bearer as the Arwing shot up through the top of the space they had previously occupied.

"You alright?" Fox asked again, not looking away from his task as he turned the ship with the precision of a machine and began firing at the carrier mercilessly until it burst into a million chunks of shrapnel as they shot past it.

"Yeah, I'm — I'm good. I'm just worried because it's hard for me to do this when we do that, and I don't want us to explode, obviously."

_1, 4, 8, 9... And then, from the other row, 7, 3, — No, that'd put 3 in that box twice, it can't —_

"Well, you're doing great so far, just keep it up. You can do it, Kyle."

And Kyle detected something in his voice — He wasn't flirting, he wasn't being polite, he wasn't trying to encourage him... It was simply the voice of a teammate who truly believed he could do this. Who had complete faith in him.

And it felt amazing.

 _"Fox, I've got a bogey on my tail, and I can't shake him!"_ Slippy suddenly shouted.

 _"I'd help if I didn't have the same problem!"_ Falco yelled.

"I'm coming!" Fox replied.

 _"No, Fox! Get over here and help me with this carrier, it's about to launch its missile!"_ Peppy exclaimed.  _"They've got to handle that themselves!"_

"You're popular, I see," Kyle joked, filling in a  _9_ and completing a row with shaky paws.

"It's always like this," responded Fox, shaking his head.

"Well, you can't be in two places at once, so..."

Fox's eyes flitted to the side and he smirked. _"O ye of little faith._ Watch me — Oh, and hang on."

The Arwing picked up speed as he guided it between seemingly dozens of fighters, dodging and weaving through the narrowest of gaps. The ship leaned to the side a few times, but it didn't go far enough that Kyle did much more than hang on tighter as he continued crunching numbers. The grids were getting much harder and much less filled-in now, but that was the least of his concerns. Fox, like always, had been pitted against insurmountable odds, it seemed. And yet, based on all the other times it had looked hopeless for him, Kyle could assume he was still somehow going to  _kick ass._

They blew past Slippy and Falco, Fox shooting down a few of the jets around them and then looping back around the finish the job before continuing right on to Peppy's Arwing.

"Hang on," he repeated. _"...Again,_ I guess."

He turned abruptly, encircling the ship so its turrets would have to follow him, giving Peppy a window to rain hell upon the missile. Kyle was being pushed against the side wall of the cockpit, Fox's body practically crushing his. The jet was somehow getting faster and faster still, much to his disbelief, and a blur of stars was rushing past the cockpit's glass, doing little to help his rapidly-growing nausea.

 _"Sorry for this!"_ Fox shouted at the top of his lungs.

Kyle had initially hoped he meant the looping. However, in just a moment, he found out he meant what was  _about_ to happen.

Fox braked and the ship struggled to fight its own momentum as he pulled up on the yoke — And up, and up, and  _up still,_ until Kyle was sure it could go no higher — And then he realized what Fox was about to do.

His body was being tossed around as if by a tornado, but it got worse when the Arwing began to turn upside-down. He was  _hanging_ from the harness, screaming his head off, all the blood rushing into his head and the bile rushing up — No,  _down —_ His throat. Finally, Fox abruptly rolled the ship onto its front side, and they had now switched directions. They flew straight into the ship with the speed of a screaming bullet, unleashing a barrage of fire on the ship as the missile fell away, thanks to Peppy's earlier actions. It seemed as though they would crash right into it, and Kyle kept wondering when Fox would finally pull up, but the look in the other canid's eyes was one of unflinching resolve. Just at the last moment, he shot them up above the ship as it exploded below them.

"Holy  _shit!"_ Kyle shouted, grinning in disbelief like a toddler.

Fox smirked. "Like that one?"

"That was  _crazy!_ Christ, this may not be the best time to say it, but you're  _fucking awesome."_

Fox just laughed and banked to the right, depositing a Smart Bomb over a cloud of fighters, while Kyle became momentarily panicked as he realized there wasn't much time left for this particular round of Sudoku.

"Should you really be blowing up the carriers, though?" asked Kyle. "If the missile is too close, the explosion will..."

The other vulpine shook his head. "No, I'm making sure I let it fall far enough away first."

"Okay, but what about when you try to break it off? What if you were to miss and hit the missile?"

Fox shrugged. "I just won't miss."

There was no sense of pride or ego in the statement; rather, there was an impression of  _responsibility_ and  _duty._

 _"One carrier left, and Slippy and I have already gotten the missile off it,"_ Falco informed them.

They shot towards the final ship, all four Arwings making quick work of it as Kyle frantically completed the grid. When they were working together, it really wasn't much of a challenge at all, it seemed. There were fewer bogies on the radar, too, and everything seemed to be looking up...

 _"You may 'ave taken down our missiles, but this is **no'** ovuh," _the speaker crackled.

Something shimmered behind Slippy's Arwing, and then a great flash stole Kyle's vision, and then — Slippy rocketed past them, gyrating wildly, smoke pouring out of...

"Holy shit, did he lose his wing?!" Kyle shouted.

 _"That bastard is usin' a cloaking device again!"_ yelled Peppy. _"Slippy, are you — Can you...!"_

_"I'll be alright, but I can't stay out here... I've got to land. I'm sorry, but I've barely got control of this thing as it is..."_

"No, no, that's good," Fox replied. "Go back in. Make sure the Cornerians are still doing fine. We'll handle this  _jackass,"_ he snarled.

 _That's new,_ noted Kyle, genuinely wondering how two completely different versions of someone could exist like this.

The Sudoku grid had vanished, replaced by another message.  _I'm sorry, but I don't want you to miss the fireworks. Don't worry about this thing anymore._ Kyle decided not to worry about  _just how much of a psycho this freak was._

 _"Show yourself, coward,"_ Falco spat.

 _"Tha' would be fairer, wouldn' it?"_ The rat mused. _"Unfortunately, my aim is not tuh be fair. Corneria was no' fair to Andross, an' I do no' intend tuh be fair to you, 'is murderers."_

Fox  _growled,_ sending a chill down Kyle's spine. He became more and more confused by this by the minute. "You have no grounds on which to lecture me about  _murder,"_ he spat.

The ratlaughed.

_"Fine, then. Wha' abou' **thievery?**  Corneria stole somefing of Andross's tha' was meant tuh be ours. The las' piece of Andross's Grea' Chain, the Pride and Joy uh Venom, the model he preached, the model we knel' down tuh wuship. Somefing mean' to keep our society on track an' prosperous if he died. An' Corneria, aftuh agreein' tuh leave that sor' of thing untouched, tuh no' investigate us, tuh no' regulate fings, tuh le' our economy recovuh. Corneria — As always — Bro' her promise. An' she's gonna pay for it, too."_

Something faintly glimmered in front of their cockpit, and for a moment, Kyle thought it must have just been a star in the distance, but then —

Fox must have seen it, too because he pushed forward on the yoke and sent them rocketing downwards, the rat's ship passing over their heads and releasing small missiles that sailed off into space.

 _"God damn it, why are you so hard tuh kill?!"_ the rodent screamed, his ship vanishing again before Peppy or Falco could do any damage to it.

"Because I believe in what I'm fighting for," Fox snarled.

_"Are you kidding? I've committed myself fully tuh the Grea' Chain, never once dou'ed 'is wisdom —"_

"Not consciously. But deep down you know the truth. The Great Chain isn't a doctrine or a theory of society or economy. It's a baseless string of words meant specifically to enslave you all and to justify Andross's brutality. It's a lie. It's hypnosis."

Something beeped on the radar, and a loud, screeching sound came from behind them, but Fox had already rammed the Arwing upwards, jolting Kyle's body against his in the process.

 _"Fox, don't antagonize him like this. You're playing with fire,"_ warned Peppy.

"No, I'm trying to get him to change his mind," argued Fox.

 _"Well, then you've **lost** yours," _retorted Falco.

 _"You don' know what you're tal'ing about,"_ the enemy pilot muttered.  _"Corneriar 'as fed you lies."_

Fox chuckled. "And Andross told you the truth?"

The vulpine swerved to the right and narrowly missed the other's ship again. Kyle hadn't even noticed it coming that time.

 _"I wanted to kill you myself, but you may' it too hard. leave me no choice but tuh chea' a li'ul bi',"_ the rat muttered.  _"It's been fun, Fox McCloud. But you'll die for ge'ing in Andross's way, jus' like your dad."_

Kyle gasped as dozens of fighters decloaked themselves and began racing towards the trio of Arwings. Hellfire was blazing in Fox's eyes as he began firing with merciless precision and dodging their every shot. Peppy and Falco were maneuvering wildly, too, but their movements weren't as erratic and unpredictable as Fox's. Yes, his actions were somehow both precise and erratic, calculated but spurred into overdrive by vicious, flaming anger.

There was a seemingly endless amount of fighters, and Fox, despite his insanely accurate aim, could only take them out so quickly. It wasn't long before they were closing in around the pair. Kyle was at least relieved to see the following message on  _Relax.exe's_ window:  _Come now, don't you think you have more important things to be doing right now than Sudoku?_

Fox's twists and turns became more erratic in his efforts to avoid the fighters as he searched frantically for the rat's vehicle. Kyle groaned a little as nausea overtook him, and the other canid turned to him suddenly, water being thrown over the blaze in his eyes.

"Are you still alright?" he asked.

"Yeah, just... A little sick," murmured Kyle.

"Any tingling?"

"Not much more than when we started, no."

"We need more power so we can give it more punch," Fox explained. "Can I turn down the G-Diffusers a bit?"

"Uh... If you think that's safe, go ahead."

"I mean, you'll have some poor circulation and you may even faint, especially because I think I'm going to have to start really rolling to keep us safe."

Kyle's mind picked apart the sentence, Fox's caring tone, the choice of words — Especially  _"us" —_ And decided that he actually  _did_ feel some tingling, mainly in his chest.

"Are you lightheaded?"

_Yes. Duh._

"A little," he lied.

"Alright, I'm gonna try to make it as smooth as possible, but I've got to do this if we don't wanna get shot down."

Kyle nodded. "It's okay. Just don't laugh when I pass out all over you."

Fox gave him a small smile and Kyle could have sworn something passed between them for a second, but the moment was over before he could even process it.

The shorter vulpine felt the effects of the G-Diffuser modification immediately. Everything felt less grounded, shakier, _paralyzing._ He was tingling all over, and he felt like he could barely get enough air in when he took a breath. He was going to grin and bear it, though. After all, his dreams were coming true, right?

The commander began rolling almost constantly, dodging frantically as seemingly hundreds of lasers streamed through the space around them. Up, down, left, right, side-to-side, over and under — The dizzier Kyle grew, the less he was able to keep track of their movements through space, his head swimming in confusion and grogginess. Everything became a blur of light and sound and color and —

The ship was moving slower now, and there were fewer fighter jets swarming around them. Kyle could breathe easier now, and his vision was mostly cleared up.

"Did I — Are we...?" he stammered.

"I think you may have passed out for just a minute, so I slowed down a lot," Fox replied. "We've taken almost all of them out now, anyway."

"Oh..." Kyle murmured.

"You didn't miss anything exciting. Just more of the same. These are pushovers, it's just that there are so many. Actually, this is so easy for us that Peppy went back in to start the lengthy process of reporting this to Corneria... I mean, there haven't been any missiles for a while, and that was most of what we were worried —"

_Crash!_

_"Shit, Fox, I've_ _gotta go_ _in,"_ Falco shouted.  _"That fucker showed up again and hit my ship with some kinda... I can't control this thing at all, man. He fucked with it, like, electronically."_

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Fox sighed loudly. "Alright. Go in. I'll take care of this."

"Where is he?" asked Kyle, his eyes darting around.

"I don't know. I doubt he'll show himself without —" Fox interrupted himself by swerving to the right and narrowly avoiding the rat's ship. "— Trying  _that_ again," he finished.

 _"Do you know why I wanted tuh ge' you alone, Star Fox?"_ the rat suddenly asked, turning his craft around slowly to face theirs.

Fox did not respond.

_"I wan'ed to tell you tha' Corneria is wifholding things from you. All this stuff they've ta'en from Andross? Yeah, you'd nevuh guess wha' he happened to 'ave. I'll give you a hint: 'Ave you evuh wan'ed to know more abou' how your father died?"_

The vulpine's eye twitched.

"They've go' it now. And they can' le' you 'ave it, or they'll risk you goin' all weird and qui'ing wor'ing for them."

"And why would I do that?" Fox finally asked.

The rat laughed. _"Because no' everyfing is whu' it seems, Fox. Andross taugh' me tha'. An' if you knew the truth... You'd fink those fings, too."_

The commander shook his head. "It's a game of relatives. And Corneria may be...  _Corneria._ But Andross was Andross. And I will  _never_ stand by what he did, no matter how corrupt Corneria turned out to be."

_"Then I really will 'ave to kill you."_

"Yes, I suppose you will," threatened Fox, tightening his grip on the yoke and looking to Kyle. "For the twentieth time —  _Hang on."_

They went blazing towards each other so fast that Kyle wasn't even sure what had happened at first. He was stationary one moment, and then the next, he was hurtling through the cosmos. The rat tried to swerve into their Arwing as he passed it, and his ship was clearly different from the other fighters from this angle. It was sleeker, more compact, and seemed to fly with unmatched speed and maneuverability. The rat wasn't a shabby pilot, either — He could dodge and weave with almost as much grace as Fox could, and he was a good aim, too. The ships were circling each other now, firing off as they created a ring of engine exhaust and flame in the void of space, the tingliness, the shortness of breath, the dizziness returning to Kyle.

Finally, each ship shot inwards, heading straight for the center of the ring and narrowly missing each other, Fox diving deep to avoid a Smart Bomb, cursing as the computer warned them that this was a dangerous angle of declination and an even more dangerous speed. Kyle was almost sick on the way back up, hanging loosely on the harness with clumsy, stiff fingers as he groaned and tried to catch his breath. Fox whipped the ship around to face their enemy once more, placing a firm paw on the other canid's shoulder.

"It's alright..." He murmured. "I know it sucks, but you're gonna be okay."

Fox and the rat continued to spar, the vulpine narrowly avoiding a mysterious blue ball of energy that the rodent had shot, which perhaps had been what had stolen Falco's control of his Arwing. The ships continued to scream past each other, but, after a few lucky shots by the rat's superior, bulkier laser, Fox was starting to look worried.

And then, with no warning, his laser cannons were suddenly too damaged to fire.

 _"Shit,"_ he hissed. "Listen, I need to knock him out of the sky without getting us down, too. This is gonna be dangerous. Hang on,  _again."_

 _"Your time is up, Star Fox!"_ the rodent screeched.

Fox went slowly towards the other fighter before suddenly dodging out of the way and then swerving back into its path, knocking against it with all the force he could muster.

Kyle couldn't  _really_ see what was going on anymore, but he certainly  _felt_ the Arwing shaking wildly as it collided with the other craft. Metal groaned and the computer shouted, but Fox continued on, and the tingly feeling continued to get stronger and Kyle's vision continued to get worse...

The Arwing was shooting across the stars, the rat in hot pursuit and raining bullets onto them. Fox's rolls didn't do much to help Kyle's situation.

_"You will die!"_

The cockpit was jostled violently as Fox just barely escaped a Smart Bomb and a few well-aimed shots, definitely not completely clearing the outer edge of the explosion radius. Fox hissed and swerved back and forth, up and down, left and right, dodging bullets and bombs and small missiles here and there. At some point, Kyle's numb hands had found their way around Fox's neck. He felt like he was drifting through an endless ocean, just trying to find  _something_ to hang on to, some kind of lifeboat.

 " _Warning. Critical Damage,"_ ROB informed them from the Great Fox.

"One shot too many..." muttered Fox. "Alright, let's finish this."

He was galloping through space once again, the rat following just behind, and this time he stopped once he'd gotten the other to accelerate fully. He did a somersault and catapulted himself in the other's direction, holding onto Kyle's shoulder again as he did, the other canid rapidly losing the fight between his body and G Forces.

"Here we go... For real,  _hang on!"_ Fox shouted, tapping something on the screen.

_Prototype Energy Field Initialized._

Fox lined up his shot and pulled the trigger.

Only he and Kyle were the bullets.

He accelerated as much as he possibly could and leaned forward, licking his lips with nerves and excitement as they barreled towards the other ship.

_"Are you crazy?!"_

"No," declared Fox.

His emerald eyes seemed to glow, a small, confident smile was spreading on his lips, his chest was puffed out, a brave flush of exhilaration was painted on his cheeks... His paws,  _clenched on the yoke like that,_ his tail held taut behind him, his ears standing at attention.

"I'm Star Fox. And I'm just doing my job."

The ship shook with the force of a thousand waves as it rocketed into — Through? — The other craft, a tsunami of forces passing through the metal, through the seat, through Kyle's Academy uniform, shaking him to the core, making his vision go black, and —

The last thing he felt was something soft and warm, a lovely place for his head to have been knocked into.

 

 

* * *

 

 

And, despite all his awkwardness and idiosyncrasies and neuroses, there were moments every once in a while in which Fox looked  _undeniably_ heroic.

Of course, he was a hero, and he always would be — But he didn't always look the part.

When his Arwing sailed into the hangar, though, and the Cornerians who had filed out there to watch him return started cheering and whooping and hollering for him, and when he touched down so smoothly, and when the lid of the cockpit popped off and he leaped off of his wing carrying Kyle bridal-style and grinning proudly — It was undeniable.

He was a hero. And he sure as  _hell_ looked like one.

Falco smiled at him and nodded. He was proud of Fox. He never stopped getting prouder and prouder of him, it seemed.

 

 

* * *

 

 

"So, what'd you think?" Falco asked, eagerness shining in his eyes.

Kyle laughed, taking another tentative sip of his water and wrapping the blanket around himself tighter. "I mean, you were right."

"About what?"

"It  _was_ really sexy," he joked, snorting.

"I told you!" Falco exclaimed, grinning.

"Didn't help that those Arwings are... Definitely  _not_ meant for two people," Kyle mused.

 _"Oooooh,_ I forgot about that," Falco said. "We've all shared one before, but, you know... It's different when it's just a teammate or some girl you  _know_ you're going to have sex with, so it's less awkward. Er — I only said 'girl' because I was talking about me, just to be clear. I don't —"

"Yeah, I know," laughed Kyle. "You're cool, Falco."

"Hey, so are you. You really saved the day today."

Kyle waved his paw. "It was nothing. Anyone could have figured out that virus, and anyone could have done the Sudoku."

"Anyone but me, maybe," Falco muttered, chuckling. "I know, but you figured out what was going on a lot faster than most people would have, I bet. And besides — I really wanted it to be you who saved the day, I really did. Because you  _know_ Fox was impressed."

Fires blazed on Kyle's cheeks. "Yeah?"

"Are you kidding me? Duh. Not only did you fix the virus, which, yeah, might have been easy; and stop the ship from self-destructing over and over and over again, which also might have been easy; but the thing that really impressed him was the way you just said,  _"Alright, I'll get in the Arwing without a flight-suit and hope for the best."_ I mean, that was  _real_ fucking bravery, Kyle. You just went for it. You saw that you could help, and you did, even though it was dangerous. Hey, maybe anyone _could_ have done that Sudoku, but not everyone  _would_ have. That was scary shit, but you went for it. You were fearless. And you should be  _so proud_ of yourself for that."

Kyle grinned widely, looking to the side and then sniffling in laughter. "You are  _significantly_ less of a blowhard than you at first seem, Falco Lombardi."

"Not really a compliment," Falco chided, grinning back.

"I'm kidding. You're great."

"Hey, you know, it's weird... You and Fox both have really, like, multilayered personalities. I was just thinking that. Like, you both have different ways you act around different people, and it isn't a lie for either of you. Er — Most of the time."

Kyle laughed. "That first night I met him  _was_ a lie. I was only pretending to be so confident. In truth, I've been obsessed with him for, like... As long as I've had the capacity to be obsessed with somebody like that."

"Really? Did you know him at Academy?"

"No, he was cool, and I wasn't. But I... Certainly admired from afar," Kyle muttered, shaking his head.

"Well, either way, I don't think it's  _usually_ fake, so it's an interesting thing that both you  _and_ Fox —"

"Huh?" Asked the vulpine commander, walking into the room.

"Oh, I was just saying that both you and Kyle act different ways around different people," Falco explained.

Fox thought about that for a moment, absentmindedly scratching the top of his muzzle.

"Well, mine's a  _little_ different. I don't  _just_ act different around different people. I also have, you know, kind of... Two entirely separate... You know. That sounds sort of weird, actually, but — I promised you I'd explain that later, didn't I?" Fox asked Kyle, who nodded in turn.

Fox sighed. "Do you know what I was like when I was younger? Before — Before my dad..."

"Yeah," Kyle murmured, his cheeks turning violet.

 _Do I know?_ _Oh, please. **You** were the only reason I ever even realized —_

"Well," Fox said, unknowingly interrupting his thoughts. "When he was gone, that version of me... Died. When he left, it left with him. I didn't act that way anymore. And I didn't even feel like the same person, as crazy as that sounds. And... A psychiatrist would probably tell you that that's  _severe_ disassociation and a really serious thing, but it never felt... Wrong. It just felt like the way forward. The way I could survive. I felt like a completely different individual. But then, when I started going on missions, when the adrenaline would start pumping — He'd come back for a second. A  _little_ different, a little bit less of an asshole, a little bit more like who  _I_ am. But he'd become part of my thought process. I used to panic when he'd show up because I didn't understand it, but now I'm at peace with the fact that he's going to come and go as he pleases and that I just need to be ready for him."

For a moment, no one spoke, and Fox looked off the side, his cheeks burning. The only sound was the hum of the ship's engines, still searching for something else when it was all right there.

Kyle spoke up, noticing Fox's distressed embarrassment. "I can't believe you would trust me with something so personal."

Fox just nodded, shrugging. "I couldn't stand not telling anyone, anymore, I guess."

"Shit, man. I mean, I knew  _sort of,_ but you never  _really_ told me in so much detail..." Falco murmured.

"You remember what I said right before you fainted, Kyle?" Fox asked, looking to him expectantly.

"Something that would have been cheesy if anyone else had said it?"

Fox smiled. "Yeah. I said, 'I'm Star Fox, and I'm just doing my job.'''

"God, he wasn't kidding," Falco laughed.

Fox smirked at him. "Yeah, well... It's interesting because that's sort of how I think of it. There's... Fox. Fox McCloud. Here, before your eyes, or whatever. And then there's  _Star Fox._ With all the mystique and drama surrounding him."

"I noticed the difference, you know," Kyle murmured. "Between... On missions and right after missions versus... Interviews. And I could tell sometimes you were faking it in the interviews so people  _wouldn't_ notice a difference. And it's funny because that's  _exactly_ what I called the two personas. There was Fox McCloud, and then there was Star Fox."

The commander nodded. "They've been separate ever... Ever since. I don't feel like it's, you know, Dissociative Identity Disorder, or anything — But it's definitely  _something_ psychiatric, I'm sure. Because he does still feel like...  _Me._ Just — Just not the _same_ me. A different me."

"Fox," Falco said softly. "I'm so proud of you for saying all of this. Really. Good for you, dude."

Fox snorted and rolled his eyes, and Kyle thought he saw something in them catch the light. "Yeah, thanks, Falco."

"Really, I'm... So honored that you'd... Tell me that," Kyle stammered. "I don't know how to... Make that fair."

 _"Go on a date with him!"_ Falco shouted.

Kyle threw his head back and chuckled good-naturedly, and Fox stared at the floor, snorting and holding in laughter before finally giving up and letting it out.

"Alright."

And every planet stopped turning and the Great Fox stopped moving and time stood still.

"What...?" asked Falco, disbelief crossing his face.

"Yeah, sure, fine. Why not?" Fox said. "I mean, I can't stand the way you pester me about it, so..."

"Don't annoy him into this, Falco," Kyle warned. "I don't like going into things with a 'one date and we'll get it over with' mentality..."

"I didn't say it would be that," Fox said. "I just said, I'm tired of hearing Falco whine about me not going out with you. And besides... You already know what's up with me, at least the first part of it, and that's an icebreaker I'd rather not do again with somebody else. I mean — I didn't mean to  _just_ assume you'd be interested, since Falco asked  _you_ to go on a date with me, not  _me_ to ask  _you_ to —"

"Alright," said Kyle, nodding. "I mean, my every instinct says I'm gonna get hurt when it inevitably just turns out to not be ' _the one,'_ or whatever. But, you know, when have my instincts ever been right?"

Fox held a sad smile for a moment and then looked back down at the floor, his tail swishing from side to side. "We'll figure something out at some point. I know we will because I can be sure Falco will —"

"Yeah, yeah, I'll make him keep his word, Kyle," Falco declared, looping an arm around him.

The vulpine panicked, batting at his side like a cat might and extracting himself from his group.

"You made some huge strides today, Fox, but I guess that isn't one of them?" Falco murmured.

Fox just shook his head, smirking. "I'm a little oversensitized right now."

"You think  _you_ are?" Kyle whispered, the reality of the situation only just beginning to sink in.

Falco started guffawing, and then Kyle and Fox both started snorting, and eventually they were all laughing so hard they couldn't breathe.

"Since the Cornerian transport left  _hours_ ago, and it's already pretty late down there, do you wanna just... Stay the night here? In one of the spare rooms?" asked Falco.

"Yeah, sure..." Kyle murmured. "If that's alright...? Your ship," he said, nodding at Fox.

"Sure, that's probably fine," the commander nodded.

"Kyle, we should go talk to Peppy and Slippy for a minute, but we'll be back, okay?" Falco mentioned.

"Yeah, alright," murmured Kyle, yawning.

Fox cleared his throat and promptly excused himself, a little red in the face.

Falco chuckled and followed after giving Kyle a quick wink.

And Kyle swallowed. "Holy  _shit."_  

 

 

* * *

 

 

"Holy  _shit,"_ Fox whispered, his head in his paws. "What the  _hell_  did I just agree to?! What was I _thinking?!"_

 

 

* * *

 

 

"Yes, but how exactly does this relate to what happened today?" Peppy asked, squinting at him from across the desk.

Falco leaned towards him. "Don't you get it? My little lie was accidentally correct — They dug something up from Andross's base, right? And then we've got these...  _Venomian Remnant_ freaks waltzing in here talking about Corneria  _stealing_ from them... And them trying to get it back."

Peppy's lips parted. "Oh, my god, that fool, he's gonna start another war!" the rabbit exclaimed.

Falco nodded, looking at the table.

"I can't believe he's been keeping this from me. He said all of Andross's technology was  _destroyed._ He swore. And imagine how serious it must be for him to lie to me... He's told me every last detail for as long as I can remember, the illegality of that practice notwithstanding."

Falco just nodded again, bleak thoughts entering his mind.

"Whatever it was, he better have had  _good reason_ to steal it," Peppy warned.

"That's what I'm worried about," Falco said. "The more reason he felt he had to steal it, the more  _dangerous_ it would have been in their hands..."

Peppy swallowed. "You and I are gonna keep each other posted if we hear anything about this, aren't we?"

Falco nodded. "But we can't tell Fox. He's too happy right now. He can't know."

"Of course not," agreed the captain. "Thank you for bringing this to my attention, Falco..."

Falco sighed. "I wouldn't have even known what else to do, Peppy."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading. The beginning of pretty much every major plot thread in the story that hadn't begun yet is in this chapter, so there's a lot to hunt for :P Comments and criticism are always appreciated.
> 
> (Also, to the lovely Galsult: Based on how perceptive you've already been, I'm sure you found (sort of) the answer you're looking for in this chapter, but there will be more information about this identity and it _is_ all related, just not quite in the way you guessed...!)


	6. A Series of Dialogues

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good _lord,_ this chapter is longer than it was originally supposed to be. But it also came out in a reasonable amount of time for once, so... I'm counting that as one loss and one victory, haha.
> 
> This is mostly just to deal with all the little loose ends that I didn't have time to go into in the last chapter (Because it was already so long!) so we can reset before the next big sequence of developments. I hope you aren't _too_ bored by it, and rest assured that we'll be getting more action... Soon™.

The Arwing was spotless.

Its blue fins still stood tall above the main body of the craft. Its wings still stretched out wide, sparkling and dazzling. Its laser blasters appeared to be in perfect condition. Nothing had been knocked off of it, nothing had been chipped, nothing had been dinged.

It was sort of a miracle.

Because as far as Kyle remembered — Not that he particularly  _trusted_ his recollection of an experience that had left his brain deprived of oxygen — Fox had flown the Arwing  _through_ the other fighter.

Slippy was examining the engines with a keen eye, taking care to check every nook and cranny for any kind of damage, as Fox had apparently pushed them a little further than was healthy for them. Every now and again, the frog would hum quietly and think for a moment before returning to his inspection.

"Hey, Slippy...?" Kyle murmured.

The frog turned to him with surprise on his face, almost like he had forgotten the vulpine was in the hangar with him. "Yeah?"

"Sorry for being so blunt, but... How is this  _possible?"_ he asked.

Slippy looked between the fighter and Kyle before responding. "Well, Fox activated a little something I've been working on that absorbed most of the crash. Er... At the risk of exaggerating, I'd actually say the Arwing didn't crash into the other fighter at all. For all intents and purposes, the  _shield_ is all that crashed into it, and you just so happened to be  _inside_ that shield."

Kyle squinted. "Shield? Is that the thing you're working on?

"Oh, yes, sorry," Slippy clarified, shaking his head. "It's an advanced energy field that's supposed to pretty much...  _Molecularly eviscerate_ anything that comes into contact with it."

The vulpine drew back, blinking. "Holy shit!"

"Well — It's just a prototype at the moment..." Began Slippy, blushing slightly.

"Still, though," said Kyle. "That could completely change space combat."

Slippy licked his lips. "Maybe if it didn't take so much power... As you can probably imagine, it's not exactly  _energy-efficient_ to atomically disassemble things. Er, well, molecularly — I'm still working on the atomic level of things."

"Why even bother?!" asked Kyle. "That's already amazing, Slippy. Besides, it's _one_ shield. How much power could it possibly take?" he inquired, his tone sarcastic.

"Well... If Fox had left it on a  _second_ longer, he wouldn't have had enough fuel to get back to the hangar," replied Slippy, either ignoring or not noticing Kyle's joke. "So... It only really lasts for a few seconds."

The fox shrugged. "That's alright. It could still come in handy in a tight spot. I mean, it  _did_ come in handy in a tight spot. But what about the laser blasters? I remember them getting messed up, and there had to have been some damage to the ship  _before_ Fox turned on the shield..."

"Oh, yeah. Well, we had the spare parts to fix that, so that's what I was doing while you were resting," he explained.

"That was only a few hours. That, the shield — You're really great at all this, Slippy."

The frog went pink at that. "To be honest, I'm just using the molecular disassembly technology in a way it hadn't been used before, but I didn't  _invent_ the base machines, I'd never be smart enough to do something like —"

The hangar door opened and Falco sauntered in, whistling when he saw the Arwing. "Nice work, Slippy. It looks even better than ours, and we didn't see nearly as much combat as they did!"

The frog looked taken aback. "Uh... Thanks, Falco. That's — I really appreciate the compliment."

"No problem. Anyway, Kyle, Fox is talking to Peppy right now, but I can show you where you'll be sleeping if you want."

And then Kyle remembered what he had tried so hard to forget: He was about to spend a night on the Great Fox.

He swallowed, his tongue going slack and his mouth going dry and just about every bone in his body freezing. "Yeah, sure."

"Oh, it was nice to meet you, Kyle!" Slippy called.

"Nice to meet you, too, Slippy," replied Kyle, smiling politely before following Falco out of the room.

When the door shut behind them, Kyle turned to Falco and inhaled. "Does he —"

"No idea," Falco replied, shaking his head. "He's not the most...  _Socially perceptive_ frog. My guess is he'll need to be told. He could see you two making out and think Fox was being, like,  _friendly."_

Kyle blushed at the thought but laughed nonetheless. "Well, I suppose there's not really much to be told yet."

"Oh, come on," chided Falco, "you and I  _both_ know this is going places — It's just down this hallway."

"Actually, I  _don't_ know that. I'm not as confident as you are, Falco. I think you're just used to relationships forming spontaneously, and you forget that this is  _Fox_ we're talking about. And I'm not exactly the type to jump into these sorts of things, either..."

Falco activated the print scanner on the door in front of them, looking back at Kyle as it dinged and opened. "Kyle, there are few things more intimate than what you and Fox just did. The groundwork has been laid — You were responsible for each other's lives during an insane space battle, you're understanding and empathetic or whatever, and Fox is probably secretly a ticking time bomb of pent-up sexual desire. Sounds like the perfect storm to me. The rest will happen on its own from here, don't you worry."

"I'm not  _worried._ It's not like my entire life is riding on whether or not I date Fox McCloud."

Falco smirked. "And we  _also_ both know you'd be really disappointed if you didn't."

The bird walked into the room and gestured at the bed and then the small desk in the corner. "Well, we don't exactly have  _guests_ often, so that's pretty much all there is in here. The bathroom's in there," he finished, cocking a thumb unceremoniously at the door across from the mattress.

"Hey, Falco...?" Kyle asked, looking at the floor.

"What's up?"

"You don't think... I mean, Peppy and Slippy... Would that be awkward? If Fox, like, left for Corneria one day to see me. I mean, assuming this...  _Date_ or whatever is still happening."

"Oh, it's  _definitely_ happening, I'll make sure of  _that,"_ Falco confirmed. "But, no, not really. Slippy's a weird combination of a detached, socially inept genius and an excitable nine-year-old — No offense to him. He won't really know anything's up, but once he does know, he'll probably be nothing but eager to hear all the details. He's that one person that just says  _"Wow! That's so cool!"_ to everything. He's like a kid, and it can be annoying, but on some level, we all love him. And Peppy's... Peppy. He just wants Fox to be happy, so much so that it'd probably take him walking on Fox having  _rough_ sex for him to feel even a touch of awkwardness. He may tease him a  _little,_ but he knows him well enough to leave him alone and let him do whatever makes him happy... Or, in this case,  _whomever,"_ Falco finished, winking at Kyle.

The fox just rolled his eyes. "Alright, bird. We get it. You find nothing more entertaining than the idea of Fox having sex. How heterosexual of you," he teased.

"Hey, I just want him to be happy, and I know what he needs better than he does. That's all."

Kyle held his paws up. "Alright, whatever you say."

"Hey, Kyle...?" murmured Falco, suddenly serious.

"Yeah?"

"If this does actually go somewhere... You  _will_ be gentle with him, right? Uh — I meant emotionally, by the way, not —"

"I know what you meant," Kyle interrupted, smirking. "Unlike you, my first thought doesn't seem to always involve sex. But... Of course. Of course, I would be."

"Good," Falco muttered, nodding. "Good," he repeated.

Snorting, Kyle shook his head. "It's actually really cool how much you care about him."

Falco shrugged. "He's like a brother to me, at this point. And I know he won't advocate for his  _own_ happiness, but  _somebody's_ gotta watch out for him, so... That became me, I guess."

 _"Awwww,"_ mocked Kyle, grinning. "Seriously, though, that's cool. I appreciate that."

Falco smiled. "He will, too, when he comes to his senses. Right now, I think it's just a little annoying to him. Anyway, he'll probably be here soon, and I'd rather give you two a chance to chat  _alone_ , so I should go."

Kyle rolled his eyes. "You're ridiculous."

"I didn't mean it like that! I literally just meant I wanted to give you two a chance to chat alone!"

"Right. After everything you've said tonight, you expect me to believe that...?"

 _"Yes!"_ Falco shouted, guffawing.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

"Okay, so, other than calling Pepper tomorrow, everything's taken care of?" Fox asked.

Peppy nodded. "Yes, but he'll want to have the details of what happened as soon as possible. In fact, if it weren't so late down there, he'd want them _now._ So... Get some sleep. Don't stay awake too late."

Fox's brow furrowed. "Why would I?" he asked.

Peppy shrugged, turning away. "I don't know, I just thought maybe you'd get caught up talking to... Falco, or... Kyle, or somebody."

Fox clicked his tongue. "'Or  _somebody?'_ So, Falco must have blown things out of proportion when he told you and acted like we were getting _married_ or something."

"Told me what?" Peppy asked. "Fox, I'm not an  _idiot,_ and I sure as hell didn't need that bird to shout it at me before I saw it," he murmured, a small smile spreading on his face. "I saw you talking to him at the party, I overheard just a  _tiny_ bit of what you and Falco were saying at the bar — I  _have_ ears, in case you'd forgotten — And today I saw you carry his unconscious body out of your Arwing. As I said, I'm not an idiot."

Fox's ears flicked back and he bowed his head. "Is that — Is that a  _problem?"_

"What? Of course not! I just don't want you losing sleep over it," Peppy explained. _"Is it a problem..._ Come on, Fox. Do you know me? I want whatever makes you happy, as long as it isn't hurting you, and Kyle's clearly  _harmless._ In fact, I'm _overjoyed_ that you're finally... Stepping out of your comfort zone to maybe pursue something like that. I'm sure it'd be good for you."

The vulpine was blushing intensely now, but he cleared his throat and pressed on, finally asking something he'd been wondering for a long time. "Did you — Did you... Know?"

Peppy closed his eyes and breathed out through his nostrils slowly, his head bowing as he formulated a response. "I was wondering when you'd ask that. I... Never knew for sure. When you were young, I saw... Flashes of things that I filed away as _'interesting' —_ Not in a bad way, mind you. Just brief interactions with friends of yours. That sort of thing. But it was always just a nebulous possibility, nothing I really saw as more likely than not. After... James, you sort of — Shut down so much that I couldn't even really tell. I didn't have anything to go off of. And then, a couple weeks ago, Falco asked me if I knew. I guess he'd seen more of what was going on in your head than I had, actually, because we made a friendly wager on it... Which I suggested might be  _distasteful,_ but he insisted, of course. I... Bet that you weren't. Not because I was sure, but just because one of us had to bet the other way, and he was _determined_ to put his money on 'yes.' He's forgotten to come ask me for the money, though, which is nice... But, if you wanted to know, the final confirmation was the little bit of your talk with Falco in the bar. And I wasn't surprised, but I hadn't been  _expecting_ it, either. I always could have gone _either_ way on it, so I was prepared for  _either_ answer."

Fox swallowed, taking this all in and trying to process it. He turned away from the rabbit, his cheeks hot and his eyes stinging. Breathing was difficult, the air seeming to get caught on both the way in and the way out.

"Fox? Are you alright?" asked Peppy, soft concern entering his voice as he stepped toward the vulpine.

"I'm fine," the commander declared, hiding his red muzzle under his paw and stepping away. "I just... Wasn't sure how you would feel about that."

Peppy's face fell, heartbreak stretching out on his features. The sight filled Fox with a kind of sick misery.

"Fox..." He closed the distance between himself and the vulpine, ignoring the panic that broke out on his face as he swept him into a hug. "If you  _ever,_ for one single second, doubted that I would have accepted you, then I failed as your... Well, as the animal who was supposed to take care of you."

Fox bit his lip and wrapped his arms around the rabbit, his paws clenched uncomfortably. "I'm sorry, I just... I didn't know."

Peppy sighed. "Like I said, my fault, not yours. Er — You probably hate this, don't you?" asked Peppy, releasing the fox.

He sniffled and smirked. "Yeah, a little. It wasn't so much that I... Thought you'd —  _Disapprove,_ it's more that I just thought it might be...  _Uncomfortable_ for you."

The captain shook his head emphatically. "Seeing you happy with somebody would bring me  _immense_ joy, no matter who that somebody is."

Fox smiled and looked away from him. "Do you mind... If I ask you something about D — _Him?"_

Peppy swallowed and inhaled, his eyes widening despite his obvious efforts to conceal his surprise. Fox knew the man had waited so long for him to break his silence on his father, waited so long to get a window into what he felt about him, and the vulpine had denied him that time and time again.

Peppy's voice came out with a deliberate evenness. "Of course."

"Was he..." Fox hesitated, picturing his father's piercing blue eyes and all the conviction and will that laid behind them. "I mean, would he have been — Disappointed, if —"

"No, Fox," Peppy murmured. "Not for a second."

"How do you know?" asked Fox, his claws nearly stabbing into his elbow as he tried to steady his trembling body.

"Well, obviously we never talked about something so specific. But, of course, we  _knew_ people, and I had seen firsthand that he... Didn't have a hateful bone in his body."

"I know that, but it's... Different if it's your own... Son." The word left a sour taste in his mouth.

"He would have loved you no matter what, Fox," Peppy assured him.

Fox's eye twitched slightly, that same burning sensation creeping into his throat. "Thank you, Peppy. For — For everything, I mean."

Peppy moved to hug him again but stopped himself and drew back, clearing his throat. "Of course, Fox. It's been an honor to fight by your side and to see you... Become an adult."

The vulpine just nodded, his paws quivering. "I'm going to... Go make sure Kyle's organized now if that's okay."

"Alright. Thank you for talking to me about — I know it's hard to..."

Fox mustered a pained smile. "Yeah. No problem," he half-whispered before turning to leave the bridge.

"Oh, and Fox?" called Peppy.

The commander stopped, turning his head slightly to the side, but still looking away from the rabbit. "Yeah?"

"I meant what I said earlier today. He would be so proud of you.  _Especially_ for telling me this. Don't you ever think he wouldn't have just thought the  _world_ of you."

Fox swallowed, his face hot and his vision blurry and his throat tight. "Thanks," he struggled, opening the door and sighing. "Goodnight, Peppy."

"Goodnight, Fox."

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Kyle was sitting on the bed, thumbing at his Datapad nervously when someone knocked tentatively on his door. He swallowed, all-too-aware that it was most likely Fox. After setting his Datapad down, he stood tall and rolled his neck, breathing deeply.

"Come in," he called.

Fox entered the room meekly, almost as if he were afraid of Kyle. He was all smiles, though, leaning against the door after it shut behind him.

"So Falco got you all settled in, then?" he asked.

Kyle nodded. "Yeah. Thanks again for... Well, for a lot of things, I guess, but I was going to say thanks for... You know, letting me stay."

Fox shook his head. "No problem. It makes more sense, anyway. The other Academy kids were ready to go, and I didn't want to rush you since you had just been  _unconscious."_

The other vulpine sniffed out a laugh. "Right, that's why I appreciate this so much. The last thing I needed after having passed out during a life-or-death space battle was a trip straight home."

"Really?" Fox asked. "I'd think you  _would_ wanna go straight home after something like that, so you could be in your own space instead of sleeping somewhere you've never been before."

Kyle looked to the side. "Well, first of all, I've seen so much of this place online that I feel like I  _have_ been here before today. Second, going back to Corneria isn't exactly... A joyful prospect for me. You know, with my parents, and all."

Fox's ears shifted back. "Oh," he murmured. "I'm sorry."

Neither vulpine spoke for a moment. The Great Fox was in orbit over Corneria, and not a single engine was running. They were where they wanted to be, and the sound of journeys could not be heard anymore. There was only silence.

"So you've seen the Fox online?" the commander finally asked.

Kyle smirked, blushing. "I may be a bigger fan than I let on the first night we met."

Fox's features lit up like embers. "Really?"

"Yeah. Sorry, I was... Trying to act like meeting you that night was no big deal. In reality, though, I was... Kind of starstruck. I know pretending I wasn't was dumb, but I just didn't want to... Weird you out."

"Why would that weird me out?"

"Well, I didn't exactly want you to know how  _obsessed_ with you I am," Kyle muttered, immediately going red and licking his lips. "Not — Not that I am —"

_Well, fuck. A joke like that doesn't exactly land when you say it like you know it's true._

Fox just snorted. "I'm sure you weren't ever... Creepy about it. It's okay to like somebody, you know," he teased.

"Whatever you say," Kyle muttered. "If you give me the out, I'll take it, I guess. Hey, by the way, how was that simulation supposed to work? Corneria doesn't really release any public documentation of it."

"Oh, well, it's honestly kind of amazing," Fox said. "The Simulation Field is walled in by a series of small floating structures with transmitters that broadcast signals into our Arwings and projectors that create holographic enemies for us to _'fight.'_ All of the damage that's done to the Arwing by the fake enemies is processed as numbers and our Arwings act like we really  _are_ getting shot, and we see if we can survive and defeat them all before we get 'eliminated' — At which point, the autopilot on the Arwing takes over and brings us back to the hangar. It's a good way to  _really_ experience a fight without taking any fighter damage."

"That's unbelievable," Kyle murmured. "The projectors reach across the whole field?"

Fox nodded. "Yep. And they process and react to our actions in real time — It's crazy."

"Even though what I saw was one of a kind, I definitely  _do_ wanna see that someday," Kyle said, shocked even just by the thought of a system so advanced.

"Well, hey, Corneria paid for it, so I'm sure one cent of your tuition money went  _there._ It's only fair that you see us use it at some point." The vulpine was silent for a moment before he spoke again, taking a step farther into the room. "Do you mind if I ask you something?" he inquired, cocking his head to the side.

"Is it a long question?" Kyle asked. "Because, if so, you're welcome to sit at the desk. I don't want you to have to stand there."

Fox looked at the chair with discomfort in his eyes. "I've sat in that chair before and I  _hate it._ It feels like sitting against a jagged rock."

"Why were you in the guest room?" Kyle asked, smirking.

Fox looked away. "I have more than a few places on this ship that I go when I need space."

"Well..." Kyle murmured, unable to stop himself but terrified of the words forming in his mouth. "You could come sit on the bed."

Fox's face took on a blush almost instantly as Kyle rolled his eyes, grinning all the while. "That wasn't a loaded question, Fox. I was just saying you could come sit here, and I'll totally keep my distance."

Fox shrugged and just about forced his body to move to the bed, sitting down a few inches away from Kyle rather mechanically, like he was afraid he would somehow do this wrong.

Kyle smiled and looked away, his own face taking on a red glow. "You were going to ask something?"

"I was just going to ask you why it's so important to your parents that you join the military," Fox murmured.

The other canid blinked and thought for a moment. "Well, in the spirit of revealing all the half-truths I told you on that first night, I'll tell you that I've never met my dad. It's my stepfather that's in the military."

"How many more half-truths  _are_ there?" joked Fox, a small grin playing on his face.

"Actually, that's basically it. I only didn't tell you for the sake of time. And... Also because I didn't want to seem like I was just dumping all of my problems on you after we'd just met. But, anyway, it's him. He's the one that's pushing for the whole military thing. My mom just isn't stopping him."

"Well, why does _he_ care so much, then?"

"In all honesty, he's dragging around the unresolved jealousy of a toddler who isn't Daddy's favorite. It's pathetic," Kyle nearly spat.

"Sorry, I'm not sure..." Fox began.

Kyle waved his hand. "He and his brother both came from this big military family, and their dad was Corneria's Fleet Admiral. You know, like — The general of generals. They both  _excelled_ at the Academy, they were both 'miracle children,' they were both from a famous, elite family, they were both popular in school — Do you see what I'm getting at here?"

Fox squinted. "And... It was clear from a young age that both of them would end up with the skills necessary to be Fleet Admiral. But... There could only be  _one_ Fleet Admiral, and... Right," he nodded, leaving the rest unsaid.

"Yeah. So. You know. My stepfather is still a general, and probably one of the most important ones in Corneria's military. But he's still second to his brother."

"General Pepper," Fox filled in, looking at the floor.

"Ex- _actly._ You probably haven't met my stepfather because he doesn't like to be in the same place as Pepper if he can help it. He'd never want to even be introduced as his brother, that's how bitter he is. As I said, it's childish and pathetic."

Fox's brow furrowed. "But wait — Pepper's title isn't  _'Admiral.'_ Why?"

Kyle shook his head. "Sorry. I kind of just call him that to keep it all straight in my head. The position of Fleet Admiral was... I guess you could say it was deemed too powerful after this one guy  _really_ abused the office and did some shady shit. So now there's, like —" Kyle stopped himself, breaking into a cold sweat. "Sorry, I'm sure you don't want to hear about all that. I'm a bit of a history nerd," he admitted shyly.

"I won't lie, I'm actually kind of interested to hear what you were gonna say," Fox said. "I didn't pay much attention to that stuff in school, but I definitely wish I had. Go on, you can tell me."

Kyle smiled a little and looked away from Fox before continuing. "Well, anyway, there was a big public outcry over what that one guy did, so the Senate essentially got rid of that rank. But there still had to be a  _general of generals._ They were like, 'Shit, we have to put it back!' So they really reduced the power and got rid of the separate title and stuff, which seems sort of confusing because now Pepper just  _is_ the one in charge, but there's nothing about his title that reflects that, which is why I... Sometimes call him an admiral, just to make it all easier to keep track of. Because in name, there's no difference between my stepfather and Pepper. But, you know,  _everybody knows_  that in reality,there's a _huge_ difference."

"General Pepper still has pretty... _Unilateral_ power, though," Fox mentioned.

"Yes,  _over the Army and the Cornerian Defense Force._ But some of those powers used to stretch into more...  _Governmental_ areas. In emergencies, the Fleet Admiral could kind of become a dictator. And... After a few messy debacles proved that this maybe wasn't the best idea, the Senate really limited the position's control to the military. Er — Sorry, I could have explained that all in fewer words."

"No, no, it's alright," Fox assured him. "It actually  _is_ interesting. I'm not just saying that. But, you know, I'm glad it wasn't a  _two-hour_ lesson,"he murmured, smirking.

Kyle blushed and placed his paws on his knees. "So, anything else you want to know?"

Fox thought for a moment. "I guess I'm still wondering how that leads to him wanting  _you_ to be in the military. I mean, it wouldn't make sense, unless he was trying to get a second chance at his dreams through..." Fox trailed off.

"Uh huh," Kyle confirmed, stretching his legs out in front of him. "That's it. Well, in all fairness to him, that part's just my  _theory._ I know for sure, though, that it has to do with impressing Pepper and honoring the family, or whatever. He thinks he'd be failing the family legacy if he didn't make his kids — Or some random kid that  _definitely_ isn't his, for that matter — Serve in the military. Which is ironic because Pepper's always the one telling him he should just accept that not everyone is born to fly a jet and shoot a blaster."

"Well, he's right," Fox murmured. "Plenty of people aren't. And if you feel that way, that's... Not something to feel bad about."

Kyle shook his head. "Believe me, I don't. I understand that. It's just...  _Him_ that doesn't."

"I know, I'm really sorry. It's not fair to you. But I know you're going to be alright. The War just ended, so this is... Probably the best possible time to serve in the military. Those Venomian Remnant bastards gave us a little trouble, but Corneria's told me multiple times they're nothing to worry about," Fox assured him.

"I act like I don't think about it much..." Kyle muttered, turning away from the other vulpine. "But to be honest, I'm actually... Really, really worried. Falco kept talking about how I seemed, like,  _brave_ or whatever today, and..." He trailed off.

"You did."

"I know, but that was... Something out of a movie. That was this unbelievable moment where I was given the chance to save the day. It was... 'No one can do this but you.' And somebody clearly had to, so I did it. It was a fight against an enemy. But this would be a fight against myself. The way I am — I can't live under that kind of structure. I wouldn't survive the military because I'd destroy  _myself_ in an attempt to comply, which I'd only be doing to save myself from shame and embarrassment. I lose either way."

"That's..." Fox hesitated. "I can't argue with any of that," he decided, shaking his head. "I can't tell you that it won't feel like a living hell for you. But you'll be _physically_ unharmed, I'm sure, and you'll get some of University paid for..." He seemed to wince at the weakness of his argument as he finished speaking.

Kyle sighed. "Once I'm through with that, I don't even know if I'll still want to go to University. Some people aren't that affected by that kind of thing — They can be structured without their subconscious perceiving it as an assault on their individuality. And then they can go back to normal after they're done. For me, though, it's... Really going to sting. I know it is. For a long time, I mean. And... Nothing's going to feel normal after that. It's totally an issue of perception. Like I said, it wouldn't feel like anything but a uniform and some rules to most people. But I'm just... Not  _wired_ like that."

"I understand," Fox offered. "Nobody experiences something like that the exact same way."

"Exactly. And it feels like nobody notices the difference between what I did today and _this._ Like, Falco saying I'm brave — If it were just an issue of bravery..." Kyle trailed off, his eyes drifting closed and snapping open again. "I could do it if it were just about gathering my courage. But it isn't. I _am_ avoiding it because I'm afraid, but I'm afraid for  _specific reasons._ I'm afraid it's going to screw me up a little. Because I just  _don't operate in that kind of environment._ And the other thing Falco missed is that I had..." He stopped speaking abruptly, clearing his throat and staring at the floor.

"Yeah?"

The vulpine waved his paw. "It's dumb."

"No, what is it?" asked Fox.

"Well..." Kyle began, shuffling his feet. "I wasn't doing this alone. But I  _have_ to do this other thing alone."

"Oh," Fox murmured, blushing slightly. "Right."

"Sorry, I didn't —" Kyle hurried.

"No, it's alright," Fox said. "I should be flattered that I made it easier for you. I mean, I  _am_ flattered. It's just... A lot. I'm not used to... Being seen like that and hearing about it."

Kyle smiled weakly. "I got in that Arwing because I thought you might die if I didn't... And, if I'm honest, because I wanted to impress you. There's nothing like that for me in the military, so it's just... A little harder to convince myself not to be afraid."

Fox thought for a moment, licking his lips. "Well, I don't know if it would maybe encourage you to power through... What if you could join Star Fox after your one year in the military?"

Kyle froze, butterflies immediately exploding in his stomach as fire shot through his veins. "I... Don't be ridiculous," he decided. "That couldn't ever..." He stopped.

"Yes, it could," Fox said. "General Pepper literally said he wants me to use Star Fox as a glorified recruitment ploy. I'm supposed to be letting people on the team who've served. And, besides... Do you know why you were here today?"

"I was sort of wondering when I'd find out..." murmured Kyle.

"Because  _Falco_ went behind my back and told General Pepper that we saw something in you and that we were planning to hire you as soon as you were done with your first year of service."

Kyle laughed good-naturedly. "I can't believe he hasn't told me yet. I'm surprised Pepper did it. He tries to keep me out of that sort of thing because he doesn't want his brother getting any ideas about what would happen if he pushed me just a  _little_ harder... It was probably really hard for Falco to get that done, actually."

"Oh, I think our mutual friend was  _relentless,"_ Fox muttered, smirking. "Either way, Pepper already thinks it's happening. It wouldn't shock him now because he already knows."

Kyle looked skeptical. "What would I even  _do_ for Star Fox? I'd just be a waste of space..."

"We don't really have anybody that knows enough about our computer systems. Slippy only knows the bare minimum that he needs to know. It'd be great if we had, like — Someone that could decode encrypted transmissions or... Scramble our data so we don't broadcast our position... I don't know, that sort of thing."

"Fox, I  _really_ don't know how to do any of that," Kyle said, blushing as he realized that he did, in fact, know vaguely how to do those things.

He'd just need to remind himself and practice a little and —

_No. Don't hurt yourself. You know that won't go anywhere._

"Alright, but clearly you have a penchant for it that nobody on our team has. And talent plus education plus dedication always equals success."

Kyle laid his head in his paws. "I don't know. I'm still not convinced I wouldn't just be a burden to you."

"There's nothing else I can say to change your mind." Fox placed his paw on Kyle's shoulder, swallowing audibly. "But at least consider it."

Kyle lifted his head and turned to face him, his face hot and tingling. "Alright. Fine. I'll _consider_ it."

They sat like that for a moment, frozen in place, their emerald eyes glittering against each other. Kyle felt something like a tug deep in his heart, a pull in Fox's direction, a pull in _Star_ Fox's direction, and he knew that it would be hard to resist the strength of a child's dreams. 

Finally, Fox hastily pulled his paw away and cleared his throat, eyes downcast like he'd done something wrong. He mumbled a quiet apology and stood up.

"I should probably let you get some sleep," he said.

Kyle yawned despite himself, the voice in his head cursing loudly at his body. "Yeah, okay. And you should go get some sleep, too."

Fox nodded. "I will."

He stood there for a second too long, lingering like a spirit over a corpse until he finally decided it was time to move on, opening the door and stepping out meekly, like he was afraid of making too much noise.

"Goodnight, Kyle."

"Goodnight, Fox."

And then the door shut, and Kyle let out a long sigh.

He was faced with a fork in the road. And down one path were his dreams. Down the other path was the rational answer.

As a kit, the first path had always seemed more realistic. The second path had seemed an _impossibility —_ How could he resist his true passions? But the trials of adolescence had a way of pushing someone away from the first path and to the other, he knew. They had a way of pushing someone away from the allure of the Jungle. A way of taking an untamed, wild beast that could be bound by no law but passion and shackling its paws and encircling its neck with a studded collar and locking it in a cage. Of course, the cage was  _safer —_ But wouldn't the animal always wonder what it would have been to follow its heart?

And that's what tipped Kyle over the edge. If he was going to have to go through what Fox had so accurately identified as a living hell for a year, and then he  _didn't_ take the opportunity to live his  _wildest dreams,_ which had essentially been offered to him on a silver platter, wouldn't he spend the rest of his life regretting it? And, sure, he'd have to turn himself into a  _maestro_ of zeros and ones if he didn't want to suffer the guilt of being the team's weakest link and only being there because Fox pitied him, but... He  _could_ do that. It'd be challenging, but he'd always been one to rise to a challenge — Especially if it was for Fox...

Kyle blushed, rubbing at his face and trying desperately to hold his heart down as it threatened to hammer a whole through his chest. Fox — Fox in his flight suit... And that  _jacket,_ and his  _eyes when he raced into that ship —_

And he couldn't help it. It'd be so much work even beforehe joined the team, let alone the fact that the life of a mercenary wasn't exactly a life of comfort...

But Fox.

Fox, and his  _dreams, and —_

Ultimately, Kyle found that he was a weak fox. Or, rather, the kit inside him was strong. It had been fighting against him ever since he'd begun trying to drown it in the bloodied baptismal waters of adulthood and responsibility, but it hadn't accepted defeat. It had kept on fighting. And now it was winning.

He knew it was a losing battle. To save face, though, to redeem himself in his own eyes, he'd have to  _try_ to resist, but he knew all would be for naught.

Deep down, he always was that wild beast, and he'd always belonged in the Jungle.

He closed his eyes and inhaled slowly —  _One, two, three —_ And he exhaled just as slowly.

And then he opened his eyes and smiled.

Against all odds, he'd been offered the fox he'd been head-over-heels for since he was  _twelve_ and a position on the team he'd idolized his entire life.

After all the pain, he was finally going to get a chance at greatness — And he'd be damned if he was going to turn it down.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

He'd meant to go to bed immediately, and he wasn't really sure how he'd found himself here — But then he never really was, was he? It always seemed to simply draw him to itself, like metal to a magnet or a moth to an open flame, and even though the feelings that simmered inside him in this room had a tendency to burn him, he really never could resist its draw.

He lay down on the long conference table once again, his legs dangling off the side and his paws resting behind his head as he let out a breath.

"I guess I'm not the flirt Mom always said you were."

He waited, and he waited, and he waited still. And some part of him thought that maybe if he waited longer he  _would_ hear him.

But he knew that wasn't how this worked. It never had been.

"You know, it's funny," he mused. "I like him so, so much."

_Silence._

"Oh, what, no response? Dad, I brought home a boy for you to meet, and that's all you have to say?"

_Silence._

He sighed. "It doesn't matter. I just do this to make myself laugh, anyways. I obviously don't  _actually_ think... I mean, that'd be silly. And if there's one thing you taught me, it's not to be silly."

He took a breath before he spoke again, but he didn't wait for a response this time. "I try not to like him. Because it's the last thing I need right now. And it's so painful to feel that way when I know I could never actually be...  _That._ And when I'm talking to him, I don't actually notice it that much. But as soon as we go our separate ways, I feel like I'm missing something. And it's  _so_ scary to feel that way, my  _lord..."_

"Oh, come on, you're just gonna let me say something like that and then _not_ give me any advice? Some father _you_ are."

And it was a  _joke —_ It was his one indulgence, the one  _objectively insane_ thing he allowed himself to do to keep the  _real insanity_ at bay — But it stung like hell, shook him deep to his core and rattled him up like nothing else ever had, and for a second, he thought he was going to start sobbing his heart out.

He sighed, holding himself and shutting his eyes. "Half of me is gone, Dad. Half of me died when... And now I can't even —  _Do_ this because I'm so...  _Screwed up,_ and..." He cleared his throat, sitting up. "But you can't help me with that, obviously. Don't know why I even mentioned it. So... Are you rolling in your grave now? Er, well, you didn't really have a — I mean, are you upset? Disappointed?"

He gestured at the empty air in front of his face, bowing his head and smirking slightly. "And he never didfind out the answer!" he narrated, sniffing out a laugh. "I mean, I guess I'll never know, will I? And all I can do is take Peppy's word for it. Which, you know — Could very well be bullshit to make me feel better. But that's all I've got. That's the best answer I'm gonna get. Because  _you_ haven't exactly been very talkative since you died," he chided. "Sorry. I just have to entertain myself  _somehow._ And I never actually mean it, you know. I know you'd... Be here if you could."

Fox covered his eyes with his paw and breathed slowly, trying to hold back two years of emotions that were pushing against him like a raging river. "Well, I hope you're not disappointed, I guess. And that's all I'm going to say about it. Because if I'm honest with myself, you don't exist anymore. So I guess your opinion is just about totally irrelelvent."

And that's what tipped Fox over the edge.

The realization that he'd almost rather his father be there to hate him than not be there at all. The realization that it'd been more than two years and he'd _killed_ Andross, seen him die with his own eyes and at his own paws, and he still felt broken. The fear that he might never be whole again.

As soon as Fox lost to the first tear, as soon as it streamed out of his eye and down his cheek, hot and stinging and  _pitiful,_ he knew he'd lost his battle. He may as well have given up.

So Fox McCloud did what he hadn't done in a long time — He cried.

It wasn't loud like it was when James first died. It was quiet — Silent, almost — But more heart-wrenching than that first week of sorrow had ever been.

His soul had felt like it was being ripped in two, his heart being shredded to pieces, but now he felt like it'd already been done and he was just being forced to observe the damages. In some way, the death of James had only brought him tears of fear — Fear that he  _might_ never be happy or feel normal again. But now came tears of certainty. Of things lost. Of  _defeat._

He had buckled down, powered through, and come face-to-face with his father's killer, just as he'd resolved to do after the news of James's fate had reached him — And he'd won. He'd brought that  _murderer_ to justice. He'd ended the War that had started just two years after his father had been lured into a deathtrap by someone he trusted and brutally  _destroyed_ by the mad ape.

And he didn't feel any better.

He'd known that, of course — But there'd always been hope that maybe, if enough time passed, he  _would_ feel better.

But in that moment, sitting alone in the cold, ghostly conference room on his cold, 80-year-loan ship floating through the cold, empty expanses of space, tears caking his fur and silent, pathetic sobs spilling over his lips, Fox admitted defeat.

_That will never fix me._

And, in some bizarre way, it was relieving. The tears stopped, and the despair and sorrow left him for a moment.

But the feeling that he was broken did not.

 _I feel better,_ he mused.  _But I still feel like **shit.**_

He sniffled, wiping his eyes and looking out the window he'd looked out so many times before.

There were stars out there — A thousand tiny pinpricks of light peeking through the curtain of blackness. And Fox supposed an animal could travel to each and every one of them and never feel fulfilled. The stars could give light, but Fox was no photosynthetic organism. The stars could give heat, too — But heat, even more so than light, was nothing more than a wave. It wasn't  _matter._ It couldn't fill in cracks or build new things. Only an animal could do that.

Only Fox could do that.

He'd always known that, too — But he also knew that in order to heal, he'd have to reopen all the wounds that had been forced closed in unhealthy ways. He'd have to break all the bones that had set wrong. He'd have to unlock all the boxes that he'd shoved all the ugliness within him into.

It was a  _terrifying_ prospect, but he knew he couldn't put it off any longer. And so he resolved that he was going to pay more attention to his feelings about James. He resolved that he wouldn't let this fester inside of him any longer.

"I guess maybe you had to die," Fox finally said.

He let his statement spread through the air for a moment, and he could have  _sworn_ someone in the corners of his vision nodded as if to say,  _'And now you finally understand.'"_

"It isn't fair, but it... Maybe had to happen. So I could find out who I am without you."

There was no response.

"I know I've said this before, but it really  _is_ beautiful..." he murmured. "All of it."

He sat there for a moment more, staring out at all the stars and planets and station lgihts and nebulae, in awe of the absolute  _vastness_ of it all — No wonder he'd thought there was happiness out there. But no, it had always been inside of him. He just needed to find it... No matter how long that took.

When he yawned, he took this as his cue to leave, getting off the table and shuffling to the door. "Goodnight," he finally said — Not because he felt like anyone else was listening, of course, but rather because he simply felt he needed to say  _something_ before he left.

And then he let the door shut behind him and sighed deeply.

The road forward would be long, and it didn't help that he'd taken his first step more than two years late — But he'd finally done it, and that was all that mattered.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I guess you could just use this chapter title as the title of the whole story so far :P Also, I'm WAYYY prouder of the irony in that title than I have any right to be, lol!
> 
> Thanks for reading. Comments and critique appreciated.


	7. On Things That Rise and Set

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I won't waste anyone's time with excuses again. I _have_ been hellishly busy, but I should have managed it better. I hope you enjoy :D

"...And I hope you all have a good summer," Ms. Atsushi continued, nodding emphatically at the students, most of whom were too braindead and exhausted to do much more than keep their eyes open. "And for those of you heading on to University, I wish you the best of luck. For those of you enlisting, I..." She paused, her eyes landing on a young fox whose face showed not an ounce of emotion. "I thank you deeply for your... Eventual service."

The silence dragged on for a moment, almost like it wasn't sure its point had been made before it finally acquiesced to the bell. This sound didn't yank the students out of their seats as it had every other day of the school year. Instead, every one of them seemed to sit still for a moment, blinking their eyes and looking around in a sort of dazed confusion, as if they couldn't even believe it. A single leopard stood up from his desk tentatively, making eye contact with a poodle, prompting her to slowly begin to collect her things. As if by magic, every single animal in the room scrambled to gather their pencils and erasers and other now-meaningless items, shove them into their bags and backpacks and purses, and shuffle out the door in a single long, disordered line that was somehow equal parts frantic and lethargic.

Kyle Connolly, however, did not move.

He stared straight ahead, and he did not move one inch.

When the last of the students had gone, the Samoyed instructor sighed, staring at the ground. She remained there for a moment and then made her way to the classroom door and shut it gently before taking cautious, deliberate steps toward the fox. Stopping beside his desk, she closed her eyes for a moment, breathing slowly.

"You aced the multiple-choice, you know," she finally said. "Not a single one wrong. And I have no doubt your short answer responses will be... Just as impressive."

Kyle Connolly still did not move.

"I think I made it too easy this year... Everyone finished with so much time left..." She bowed her head, clearing her throat as the weight of the moment settled on top of them both. "I know you're scared," she suddenly murmured. "Although if you think about it, we just got out of a war, and it's probably going to be a while before we get in another one... I know that doesn't help very much, but... Well, it's _something_ to take comfort in."

"It isn't about that, though," Kyle muttered, finally moving to shake his head. "It's that it isn't fair. I'm supposed to be able to decide what I want to do with  _my_ life. It shouldn't be anybody else's choice."

Ms. Atsushi considered this for a moment before kneeling down next to his desk. "You have within you a fire, Kyle... A desire to see and do everything. To experience every beautiful thing the universe can offer... I know that your destiny is something great — And destiny can't be stopped. Destiny is absolute. I promise you that this will be nothing but a delay. Someday, you  _will_ experience all of those things."

"But this might extinguish that flame," Kyle murmured.

"Kyle, you are not weak enough for that to happen. You are... Far stronger than you realize, in ways you can't even see yet. And I have confidence that all of this will make itself known to you in due time. You are bigger than a year in the military, and you will emerge burning just as brightly as before — They cannot break you."

The vulpine sighed, shrugging. "Thanks. I mean, that's one of the nicest things anybody's ever said to me. But, you know..."

"It doesn't change anything," Ms. Atsushi replied.

Kyle nodded. "Exactly."

"Well, I know concepts of such a spiritual nature are... Rather foreign to the average Cornerian from the city, but one thing my parents were taught when they were children that they still haven't stopped talking about is fate. That fate is stronger than all things. But the thing about fate is that it does not always look like a straight path. There may be a curve or a bump in the road, but you'll end up in the same place eventually, no matter what. They believe you have some _agency,_ but they also believe there is something you are meant to do, perhaps not a path you  _will_ choose but one you are  _meant_ to choose and that will be available to you." She hesitated for a moment, licking her lips. "Do you believe in fate, Kyle? Destiny?"

The fox bit his lip. "I don't really know  _what_ I believe. I guess I haven't lived enough to decide yet."

"I understand," Ms. Atsushi murmured. "No one is born with all the answers, and finding them is often painful. Either way, I know that you are passionate enough to survive this for one year and come out with just as much energy and drive. I really do believe in you."

The corners of Kyle's lips turned up in a small, sad smile. "Thank you, Ms. Atsushi."

"I'm simply stating the truth," she replied. "I'll be there at your commissioning ceremony, by the way."

"That means a lot to me," Kyle said, swallowing. "Thanks again. I should get going, though. I'm sure my family will want to... Talk and stuff."

"Of course. Goodbye, Kyle."

Kyle shoved his things into his backpack and put it on slowly. "Yeah. Goodbye, Ms. Atsushi."

This time, he knew it would be the last time he walked through these hallways, instead of simply _'one_ of the last times.' He could feel the significance of the moment weighing down on him as he navigated through the maze of the Academy one final time, pushing open the heavy doors with a certain kind of hollow sadness. The air that greeted him was warm, the sun was shining, a temperate wind blew past him. He did smell that same freedom in the air, but he ignored it. He knew it lay a whole year in the future — No point in getting his hopes up early.

He came down the front steps of the institution slowly, turning to look back at the place he'd spent almost all of his life. It was funny how insignificant it looked now that he had left it forever. It was just another building.

And he supposed it always had been.

He breathed in the earthy scent of the grounds one last time, and then he began to walk to the closest thing he had to a home.

 _Well, maybe the second closest,_ he decided.  _Or... Now it **is** the closest, isn't it?_

 

 

* * *

 

 

Dinner had long been a quiet affair in the Connolly-Pepper household.

It wasn't often that the family — Not that Kyle would have approved of this designation, of course — Ate together. The General had tried to instate this habit many times over the years but had eventually given up, deciding he already fought with Kyle enough without this extra conflict. Tonight was different, though.  Kyle's commissioning ceremony would be tomorrow morning, which meant it made perfect sense for the family to eat together. It also meant, however, that this affair would be  _hellishly_ awkward.

"Are you nervous for tomorrow, Kyle...?" his mother asked, the dryness in her throat audible.

"No," answered Kyle. "I'm  _resentful,_ obviously. But not nervous."

A hound's eyes rose from his food to meet Kyle's before dropping back down once more.

The vixen cleared her throat uncomfortably. Forks and knives clattered against plates, but no one spoke a word.

"You know, Kyle," his stepfather began. "One year in the military doesn't get you much in the way of benefits. Before you say no, think of how —"

"You made a promise," Kyle said flatly. "It's not my fault you didn't think to say more than one year back then."

"I'm not saying you  _have_ to," the hound forced out. "It was just a suggestion."

"Well, so was the first year — Until it suddenly _wasn't."_

Kyle's mother brought her glass to her lips, trying to make as much of a scene out of this as possible. The lesser General Pepper raised his paws in a kind of surrender, thinking for a moment.

"It's just something to consider," he finally said.

And the rest of their meal passed in utter silence, Kyle wordlessly standing to bring his plate to the sink serving as the only signal that it was over.

Just as the family began cleaning up after themselves, their doorbell rang. Kyle's mother scowled and went to answer it, leaving the younger fox alone with his stepfather. One did not look into the eyes of the other, and both seemed to inhabit a reality in which the other did not exist.

Ms. Connolly — Or perhaps Mrs. Pepper — Returned to the kitchen with a troubled look on her face, something containing flashes of frantic anxiety and resigned sadness in equal measure.

"Kyle, it's, um... It's for you," she murmured.

The general narrowed his eyes at her almost immediately. "Who's here to see him?"

Kyle opened his mouth to say something but closed it again when he caught his mother's eye, a pleading look hidden in her verdant irises.

"It's... Miyu," she finally answered, avoiding her husband's gaze.

A thousand memories bubbled up in Kyle's mind, childlike excitement coursing through his veins before he could stop it. He hadn't expected to see her, especially after she'd explained to him that being with him again just made her sad. However, he knew not to get his hopes up. It was unlikely that such a reunion would be permitted.

His stepfather turned, towering over him. "I made clear —"

The vulpine furrowed his brow in disbelief. "I didn't say anything!" he exclaimed.

"Let him go see her, John."

The fox and the dog stopped breathing for a moment, the water spilling out of the faucet serving as the only sound in the house.

Kyle couldn't believe this development. The woman who'd spent so many years fighting for him and his well-being, encouraging him to be himself and to spend as much time with his friends as he possibly could but had extinguished her fiery spirit the moment she'd married the hound... She had lit her flame once again. She had decided finally that something her husband had said to Kyle had gone too far. This was, apparently, where she drew the line.

"What?" asked the general, incredulous.

"It's his best friend, John. You know that. His  _commissioning_ is tomorrow.  _To the military._  It won't be long before he's... Off to Basic.And even though he isn't exactly being a good sport about it —" She shot Kyle a look of mock anger, but he could see something like respect buried underneath it. "— He  _is_ going through with it. The least you could do for him is let him go out with her one last time."

The hound bowed his head, sighing deeply. "Alright," he finally decided. "But," he warned, turning to Kyle. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

Kyle was absolutely shocked, but he was determined not to show it, so he forced a smirk and pressed on. "Would you spend an hour shouting about Mistress Meow's new single?" he asked, unable to help the glee slowly building up inside him as he thought of seeing Miyu again.

"I... No, I would not," his stepfather answered.

Kyle turned his face to the side. "Well, then I suppose I'm already going to fail on that count."

He left before he could wake up from his dream, stopping only to quickly hug his mother, marching out the front door with a spring in his step. For just one moment, he could forget this all. He could forget John,he could forget the loss of his two best friends, could forget the military, could forget that he was about to be ripped away from his vision of his life, could forget  _tomorrow —_

The lynx gave a small, melancholy smile when he exited his house, shutting the door perhaps a little too forcefully behind him. He looked at her expectantly, unsure of what to say as he enjoyed the feeling of the warm, sweet air of late spring in the city. Even at night, he could smell that Jungle that lay somewhere beyond, even if he could not quite see it.

Miyu sighed, her smile widening as her head tilted downward, her eyes landing on the ground for a moment. She sniffled and looked back up at him, a deep well of emotion in her eyes. She seemed to float there for a moment before finally crashing into him, wrapping her arms around him, her paws pushing him closer to her than he'd ever been before. He was stunned for a moment before finally returning her affection, hugging her back with just as much strength.

"I missed you," she murmured into the fur of his neck.

Kyle swallowed, squeezing her tighter. "I thought that was painful to admit."

She nodded against him. "It is. But you're gonna leave soon... And I won't see you for a while. So if anybody is worth my tears right now, it's you." She laughed, shaking her head. "And, you know, not just because you're leaving. Also for the obvious reasons... Like you being my best friend when everybody else thought I was a weirdo. That whole thing."

Kyle snorted. "Yeah, well, I wasn't exactly a celebrity, either," he reminded her.

"I know. But you deserved to be — Much more than they did."

"Thanks..." He trailed off, releasing his grip on her as she pulled away from him. "Hey, did you just want to see me again, or...?"

She opened her mouth and inhaled, her eyes flitting to the side while she thought before she clamped it shut again. "I was thinking we could drive somewhere."

"And where is that?" Kyle asked.

She smiled mischievously, a behavior that was much more in line with her usual personality than what she'd led with. "It's a surprise."

Kyle rolled his eyes. "Alright, fine. I'm in."

Miyu swallowed, and something flashed behind her eyes, something dazzling and beautiful, something he'd have missed if he'd even _blinked_. In that moment, Kyle saw the depth of Miyu's  _love_ for him, something she had always been hesitant to outright say. But he didn't need her to. Even Kyle, who was always careful not to assume someone liked him more than they'd indicated, had to admit that Myu did, in her own way,  _love_ him and that it was plainly evident in just the way she looked at him.

"Come on," she said, making her way to her car. "We won't have long before General Asshat wants you back."

"Ugh, I don't even wanna think about him tonight," Kyle groaned, climbing into her car.

"Alright, alright, me neither," she conceded. "Let's jam out to something gay. Like old times. What do you want?"

"Do you have a preference?" Kyle asked.

"No, none. Totally up to you. Let's see... I seem to remember there was a lot of Tigress..."

"Oh, she's good. I need to be in a specific mood for that, though — Let's save that for later."

She nodded. "Alright, there was also a fair amount of Madeline Lance... Although, she's a lot to..."

"Yeah, totally," agreed Kyle. "Again, maybe later. But I'm not  _emotionally prepared_ for that whiny voice yet. I mean that as a compliment to her, of course."

"Oh, _obviously._ We'd never insult such an icon. It'd be blasphemy," the lynx shot back, smirking. "Hmm... Who else...? Oh, of course!  _Mistress Meow!"_

 _"That,"_ Kyle declared, grinning wildly.  _"Duh."_

She nodded, smiling as she searched for a playlist on the car's touchscreen. "You want early Meow? Or the new stuff?"

The fox thought for a moment. "I love her new single, but... I wanna go  _back,_ you know?"

Miyu nodded vigorously. "I was thinking the same thing."

An old favorite of theirs began, and the car shot off like an Arwing shooting out into space, poetry about boys and fame and monsters guiding their hearts along the road Onward to the Sun.

"Aren't you going a little fast?" asked Kyle between laughs.

"Oh, loosen up," urged the lynx, snorting. "I'm only going... Five — Well, okay,  _ten_ miles over. Besides, we'll be getting on the freeway pretty soon."

"Wait, where are we going?"

"I told you, it's a surprise! Technically, we wouldn't need to go through downtown, but I wanted to prolong this a little. We're taking the long road, my friend."

They drove on, propelled by the singer who had captivated them since they were children. The singer who had been there when they'd met, who they'd discovered a love for together, who'd been there at silly school dances over the years, who'd given Kyle the strength to  _tell_ her —

It seemed as though they had left the suburb in a flash, rocketing onto the highway and surging toward the city with the speed of a comet,  _racing straight_ _into the sunset_. They were singing — No, at some point, they'd started _shouting_ as they drove on, screaming onto the streets of downtown Corneria with not a care in the world. There were other cars out, of course, as there always would be in such a large city. But their drivers and passengers all seemed to be in a daze; they all seemed  _asleep._  Their faces were blank and indifferent, their shoulders slumping and their eyes glazed over and their lips sealed tight.In fact, it felt to Kyle as if he and Miyu were the only two animals in the universe that were _alive_ in that moment.

For one night, Kyle was determined to make  _everything_ disappear. His stepfather would disappear, his mom — As much as he loved her — Would disappear, this  _god damn piece-of-shit city_ would disappear, this  _fucking prison_ would  _disappear,_ and most importantly,  _tomorrow_ would disappear...

Just Miyu and Kyle. Only Miyu and Kyle, and the car, and the road beneath them, and the Moon above them, and every word of Mistress Meow's that the speakers pumped out.

Rain began to dot the windshield of the car as an interplanetary shuttle soared far above the city's skyline, its engines roaring against the otherwise quiet night.

"Think we should hold up a sign telling them to save themselves and turn around?" Kyle joked.

Miyu snorted, shaking her head. "Come on, we get so much money from tourism. No harm in them coming for a few days and spending all their cash."

"Yeah, I just hope none of them are staying. For  _their_ sake."

"You wouldn't hate this town so much if you hadn't been imprisoned here for years, you know," Miyu reminded him.

"The town  _is_ the prison," Kyle argued. "At least for me."

"I think  _anywhere_ that's, like... A singular place you could put on a map is a prison to you. You don't want to stay in one spot at all."

Kyle shrugged. "Maybe... I don't know. I like some things to stay the same. It's like, I want to go on all kinds of adventures, but I always want to come home to something, you know?"

"Just... Not Corneria," Miyu filled in.

"Right. I just haven't found that home yet — No offense. Wherever it is, though, you better be coming with me."

She smiled sadly for a moment, shaking her head. "I wouldn't be surprised if our lives pull us in different directions

They continued driving, continued singing, Miyu guiding the vehicle onto another highway and back toward Kyle's house. The rain was picking up now, but Kyle was determined not to let that ruin this night. It was almost energizing, the way it hammered against the windshield with the force of an army marching to war. They were heading further north than Kyle's house this time, heading towards the area of his suburb reserved for more...  _Affluent_ residents.

"Why are we going north of the Ó Sliabh?" Kyle finally asked.

"Because  _all_ the good houses are over the river, and I want to look at them," Miyu murmured, avoiding Kyle's eyes.

Kyle shook his head in disbelief. "You  _hate_ staring at displays of repulsively vast wealth. Unless it's somebody you like."

That couldn't have been the case, though. The only person that lived over the river that either of them really knew was —

No. She wouldn't; she  _couldn't._

Miyu eyed him nervously and cleared her throat, turning her focus back to the road. That was all Kyle needed to see in order to figure out where they were going. It landed on him with the weight of an entire planet, the weight of his entire life on  _this_ planet, nearly knocking the wind right out of him, the individual fibers of his pelt standing on end as he shook his head in disbelief.

"Miyu! Are we —" He couldn't form sentences, and his face was contorted into utter shock, his jaw slack. "Are we going...?"

The lynx kept her hands gripped tightly on the wheel, still staring straight ahead at the road in front of them. "I don't know what you're talking about," she forced out, but it sounded so lame, so weak, so  _pathetic —_ Three things Miyu had never been.

Kyle sighed. "I've barely spoken to her since everything — I've barely spoken to her since then, you know."

Miyu swallowed, nodding frantically, her face screwed up in a way Kyle'd never seen it before. "I know," she breathed out. "I know," she repeated, still not looking at him. "I obviously haven't, either. But if we don't do this  _now..."_

Kyle nodded. "We won't get another chance."

Miyu just sighed.

”Alright, fine. I’m in. Let’s go.”

The lynx nodded but said nothing at first before finally clearing her throat and looking over at her best friend. “Thanks, by the way. Thanks. I mean it.”

Kyle looked taken aback. “It’s cool... I mean, it’ll be more awkward for you than it will be for me.”

Miyu laughed darkly. “I know. I’m already regretting this. Really, thanks for... Being here for it. I... I _have_ to do this, Kyle. It’d be wrong if I didn’t. But like you said, it’s gonna be awkward as hell, so thanks for coming along.”

”Yeah, of course,” Kyle assured her. “I should see her again, too, anyway.”

”I know you would have at some point before you left for Basic, but it would have been less awkward for you if you’d done it without me. So this is still a sacrifice for you.”

Kyle smirked. “Alright, fine, I’m awesome. Since you’re _soooo_ insistent,” he murmured, winking at her.

Miyu snorted. “Yeah, sure. Let’s go with that.” And then she inhaled for a second and eyed him curiously, almost like she was staring into his soul.

"What?"

"Nothing," she muttered, shaking her head. "Just... I guess I don't give you enough credit. So. Thanks, all joking aside." She let her words replay in Kyle's head for a moment, filling the space between them. "Alright, are you ready?" she asked, the question coming out of nowhere and hurrying past her lips to bury the previous declaration of gratitude.

"Uh — Yeah." Kyle muttered. "Sure."

"Good. We'll be there in a few minutes."

 _"Please,_ I think I know where her house is."

"But you also have  _awful_ spatial awareness."

Kyle did not have a response to that.

They drove down the spotless roads, passing manicured lawns and gargantuan pools and immaculate houses that seemed to become successively bigger, gaudier, and more preposterous as they drove on. Their destination eventually appeared ahead of them. Something of a respite from the excessiveness of the houses surrounding it, this dwelling was modern and minimalist, though not obnoxiously so, practical and yet still endowed with an air of success, a scent of prosperity and security that could be detected from all the way down the road. It was composed of mostly glass, and yet somehow this didn't convey the pompousness it did on many of the other houses around it. It was angular, efficient, intellectual, and somehow cold, drab, inviting, and enthusiastic, all at once.

Perhaps it was personal bias that painted the house in this light in Kyle's mind. Perhaps he was only imagining the image he'd always had of his old friend's family. Perhaps a house could not be both drab and enthusiastic, perhaps a  _house_ couldn't really be enthusiastic at all — But at a certain point, Kyle figured, one's perception of a creature and their habitat became entwined in their mind.

The car came to a gentle stop, a kind of acquiescence on Miyu's face. "I guess we're here."

"I guess we are."

They slid out of the car wordlessly, crickets chirping noisily around them. Trees rustled in the wind, magma moved far beneath the soil they stood on, and time ticked relentlessly Onward as they made their way to the porch.

Miyu stopped abruptly, turning back to face him. "I can't do this," she spat. "Even after all this time, I can't do this."

Kyle's lips parted for a moment, his eyes scanning her features. "You don't have to. You can go. I'll get a ride from her if I have to."

"What, you'd stay?" Miyu wondered, narrowing her eyes.

"Yeah," confirmed Kyle. "I've got to do this. She was one of my two best friends, after all. It'd be wrong if I didn't... Er — Not that — Sorry, I didn't mean to suggest that you'd be —"

"No," Miyu replied, shaking her head. "You're right. One fight doesn't change  _years_ of companionship. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I didn't mend fences with her."

Kyle nodded and looked towards the Laoch River in the West, imaging the ghost of the Sun still hanging there, imagining the days of the Great Conquest and of the First Liftoff. He turned, facing the East, and even though he didn't believe in such myths, he imagined the Great Ark flying over the  _Cosantóir_ mountain range as the Sun rose between its peaks and as it would soon rise again, Later.

Kyle was tired of waiting and shying away.

_Onward._

"Come on," he finally said, facing Miyu. "It's time."

She nodded and they marched Onward — Although, in a way, they were stepping back in time.

They stepped up the porch, three ghosts much shorter and much happier than Kyle and Miyu were today dashing out the door and past them, laughing and screaming. Kyle almost looked over his shoulder to watch them, but he reminded himself that he already knew how this story ended and didn't need to watch again. He needed to keep moving. And so he closed his eyes and breathed in and out once before lifting the brass knocker, the one ornate fixture of the whole house, and forcing it against the mahogany door.

For a moment, Kyle felt like they'd made a terrible mistake by coming here. He looked at Miyu, whose face conveyed a similar sentiment of regret.

He had already knocked, however. They were going Onward with their plan to go Back, whether they liked it or not.

The door opened slowly. White fur. Elegant bracelets. A taller figure, revealing itself inch by inch, the edges of a wide, enthusiastic smile, and then azure eyes that widened in shock the moment they were exposed.

Miyu slapped her paw against her face, turning away from the awkward situation. Kyle bit his lip, pawing at his other elbow. The Cocker Spaniel simply stood there, mouth agape, too surprised even to gasp.

Leaves rustled overhead as the pearl-furred dog shook her head. "Come on," she finally muttered. "We'll let mosquitoes in if we all just stand here  _gawking."_

"You're the only one gawking," Miyu suddenly forced out.

Fay rolled her eyes, redness creeping into her cheeks, and it was like nothing had ever changed.

They stepped inside, Fay gently shutting the door behind them and ascending wordlessly up the staircase. Kyle and Miyu glanced at each other, each asking the other a question neither had the answer to.

"Oh, just come in," Fay called from above them. "My parents are on Katina for some kind of conference, so it's really no big deal. Come on, we'll go where we always went."

"I never should have let you drag me into this," Miyu muttered, shaking her head and sighing.

 _"I_ dragged  _you?!"_ Kyle hissed.

"Chill out, I'm kidding," she replied, punching him gently in the shoulder. "But next time I suggest something like this, don't let me actually go through with it," she deadpanned.

Kyle snorted and began walking up the stairs. He knew where each little creak would occur, which he found somewhat unsettling. He wouldn't have expected to remember something like that, but he did, and it was...  _Strange._ Miyu came just behind him, her eyes decisively downcast.

Fay led them into her bedroom, and it was like returning to an old house Kyle and Miyu had sold decades ago. There were things that had remained — This picture, this shelving unit, this lamp — But there were more things that had not. There was a different desk, a desk that was larger and took up more space and was no doubt more practical. It had shelving and drawers above it, and the wall was dominated by them instead of posters and photographs and paintings. There had been a box of toys they had played with when they were younger that Fay had always been reluctant to move, preferring to keep a reminder of those days. It was nowhere to be seen. The bedsheets were different — A simple white instead of a dark blue. There were new plants by the window. Many of the changes were small, and yet it still felt like Fay had lived an entire life without her old friends in just a few years. It felt like everything had changed.

"It's different," Kyle murmured.

Fay laughed. "I wasn't going to go into hibernation just because you two weren't my friends anymore." There was something hollow in it, something that soured by the end of the sentence. "So, yeah," she continued, gesturing at the room. "Some things changed. A lot of it's just packed away for when I leave, actually."

"Leave?" Miyu questioned.

Fay waved her paw. "We'll get to that."

She opened the door to her closet next. It was a little more organized than it had been before, but there were still a few unused, empty wooden frames at the end of it, just like there had been before.

"Well, you didn't fill our spaces in," Kyle mentioned.

"I never had enough clothes to need them; whoever designed this house must have had, like,  _a million_ outfits, I swear..." Fay cleared her throat. "I never could have, anyway."

They made their way towards the two sets of opposing frames and settled into them. Fay on one side, Miyu and Kyle in the two units on the other side. It was comfortable. It felt like home.

"Alright, now that you two can't see each other, I won't feel like it's two-against-one when I finally ask the big questions," Fay muttered, smirking.

"Get it over with," came Miyu's voice. It was muffled by the wood between them, but Kyle could almost see her paws dropping to her sides, could feel her exasperation and anxiety.

Fay looked taken aback. "Are you sure you want to do that right now?"

"Look, I came here to feel like we... Made things better. I'd rather get the, uh, Airing of Grievances out of the way before the fun. Business before pleasure. That sort of thing."

Fay looked to Kyle. "Is that alright with you?"

"Yeah," he murmured, shrugging. "Sure."

Fay nodded. "Alright, air away."

Miyu inhaled beside him. "I assumed _you'd_ be the one doing the airing."

"Is that what you want?"

"I don't  _want_ anything," Miyu replied. The shift in her voice was so slight that no one else would have noticed it, but to Kyle it was obvious.

"Miyu..." He warned.

"If you want me to just let it all out, I can," returned Fay, something like a threat buried in her words. "I wanted to put that off as long as possible, but if you really want to do this now —"

"Oh, I do."

 _"Please_ don't make me a part of this," Kyle groaned.

"Fine," Fay replied, ignoring him. "Here we go, then. Kylewas forbidden from seeing either of us. You were not. And yet you've still chosen to ignore me for the last couple years. What's your answer for that?"

"I didn't  _come_ with answers, Fay," Miyu sighed. "I didn't rehearse this. The truth is that I don't know."

"You  _don't know?"_ Fay asked.

"No, I don't. I —" She inhaled slowly and then began again. "I was upset. I was angry. I was... Hurt and confused."

"And why was that?" prodded Fay, something softer entering her voice.

"You know why! Please, don't make me... Relive all of this," pleaded Miyu. When Fay didn't respond, she continued. "I couldn't be your friend anymore after that. After I'd spent...  _Years_ just...  _Assuming_ that you knew and that you knew that I knew you knew, and that — And that you even  _did_ in the first place, and —"

"Miyu, calm down," murmured Kyle. "Please, slow down. You've got all the time in the world to put your thoughts in order."

"I... Everything that had happened between us in those last couple years happened in the context of...  _That,_ anyway. In my head, it had stopped being friendship at a certain point, and all those memories got filed under a different label in a different section of my brain. And you just telling me that I had been  _wrong_ the whole time, me having to force my brain to recontextualize all of those memories and to bury all the feelings inside them, all in the span of just a few words, I — I couldn't just act like everything was  _normal!_ I couldn't keep  _talking_ to you, it drove me fucking  ** _nuts!_** It drove me fucking  _ **crazy!**_ I missed you, but I hated that I missed you, and the more I missed you, the more sure I was I couldn't _ever fucking **speak** to you again!"_

Silence came like a cruel, wild beast, wrapping its paws around the trio's throats and teasing their flesh with its sharp, ruthless claws. Anxiety seemed to course through Kyle's veins like poison, gradually snaking its way into his every organ and appendage, silencing his mind with deafening noise. A cacophonous barrage of memories replayed in his mind, the divisions between them muddied by time and distress so that Kyle could perceive only the muddled frenzy of an Impressionist painting.

"My feelings — Or lack thereof — Are not my fault," Fay suddenly murmured.

"Yeah, well, neither are mine," Miyu returned.

"No," Fay agreed. "But I was never upset with you or weirded out by anything. I made clear that I was okay with being your friend still. You act like I hurt you, but I can't help what I wanted or didn't want.  _You're_ really the one who... Miyu, you and Kyle were my best friends, and we'd just found out it would only be a little while before we couldn't see him anymore. I needed someone, and you... Left me. And you really hurt me when you left me, Miyu."

Kyle thought he could hear Miyu swallowing — He couldn't possibly, could he? She cleared her throat and Kyle heard her weight shifting. Her head rested against his through the wall, almost like she wished it weren't there, almost like she wanted Kyle to touch her and tell her she wasn't bad, that she hadn't made a mistake.

The fox wasn't sure he could say that, though. He knew Miyu's side of this story — He'd felt it before, himself. But he also couldn't deny the soundness of Fay's position, the idea that Miyu should have just  _gotten over it_ and spared them both the heartache of losing a dear friend. He also understood that they weren't  _friends_ in Miyu's mind, though. He understood that she had allowed love to grow like a mighty redwood within her chest for years and that Fay had forced her to cut it down in a second. At that point, were there even feelings of friendship left, or had every feeling come to be a part of something else, a beating mass that was much more heart-like than it would have been for a friend? The _rhythms_ of their companionship had never changed in Miyu's mind, Kyle knew. But the notes had perhaps been transposed into a different key at some point.

"No matter how hard you try, I can't be the villain here," Fay gently murmured. "I didn't do anything villainous at all. If there's got to be a villain in your mind, then... I can tell you it isn't me."

"So you're saying it's  _me?"_ spat Miyu, something like the weight of an epiphany crushing her voice.

"No," replied Fay. "I'm saying there doesn't have to always be a good guy and a bad guy. Sometimes, we're just people living our lives, and a thing happens between us, and it's painful,  _but we move on._ I don't care anymore, Miyu. I won't lie, I still think you could have done more. You  _should_ have done more. And I'll go to the grave believing that. But it doesn't mean I  _blame_ you or  _fault_ you. It doesn't mean you're the bad guy in my version of events. Just because I disagree with... Just about every aspect of your handling of this... Well, it doesn't mean I don't sympathize with you and understand why you did it. I don't need to give my story a villain in order to understand it. If you do, that's alright — But if you're honest with yourself, you know that villain wasn't me, and there's only one other person it could have been. If you choose to live in regret and turn yourself into the problem, then that's your decision — But I would urge you to remember that we all make mistakes, we all handle things wrong, we all mess up. Sometimes, it doesn't mean anything more than  _that._ We mess up, and we move on. Nothing more than that, Miyu."

Miyu sniffled, and then Kyle too wished the wooden barrier wasn't there. "I couldn't stop thinking of you like that. I thought you  _knew,_ I thought —" Miyu seemed to struggle to find the right words for a moment before giving up and sighing deeply."

"I know," came Fay's voice, soft and smooth. "And I'm not upset at you for that. Not at all. Really, I'm... Happy that we had... A close, trusting enough friendship that you felt, uh, that you could —"

 _"Don't,"_ Miyu forced out, her voice cracking violently. "Sorry, that wasn't meant to sound so aggressive. Just. That... Doesn't help to talk about."

"Oh,  _duh,"_ Fay muttered. "What I'm saying is that I had no issue with that. We could have worked through it. What I was mad about is your choice to turn away from it instead, to retreat. I was mad because I lost a friend over it."

"I'm not saying what I did to you was fair, Fay," Miyu admitted, Kyle's jaw slackening slightly in disbelief. "It wasn't. It was selfish and cowardly. But I couldn't have done any better. It hurt too much to love someone so badly and know you couldn't —" A strange sound came from behind the wood, a sound Kyle hadn't heard Miyu make very often.

"It's alright," Fay whispered. "You don't have to say anything else... Do you — Miyu do —"

 _"Always,"_ Miyu spat.

Fay's head snapped back, her muzzle twitching, a thousand emotions fighting for dominance on her face. She hadn't looked at Kyle for most of her dialogue with the lynx, but now she looked at him with a question in her eyes, no,  _two_ questions, no, more questions than Kyle could possibly count.

"I never  _couldn't,_ no matter how hard I tried," Miyu murmured. "It's... Different now. It feels sad and hollow now. But it's still there. It's still the same thing at its core."

 _But perhaps in a different key now,_ mused Kyle.

"You were my one mistake in that sense, Fay," she continued. "Because I was  _so determined_ to make sure that never happened to me,  _so certain_ I didn't ever want to feel that way about someone. And for the longest time, I was successful, and I've been successful with everyone else since then. But when you realize what you thought was a feeling of friendship was — And that had been going on in some part of your brain for  _years,_ and it kept growing because you thought they also, it's — A lot to instantly lose."

"I'm sorry," Fay said, sounding out each phoneme with a kind of lyrical sensitivity that somehow carried both lethargy and precision. "At the time, I was so confused by the sudden revelation that the whole time, you'd thought... And so I didn't really have enough mental energy to process much else. I suppose I'm saying that I — I didn't understand the  _depth_ of... And now I see why you couldn't let go of it just like that."

For a moment, silence reigned supreme. This time, however, it was not a vicious beast. It did not threaten to crush them under its weight. It merely stood before them, watching intently, staring into their eyes and silently asking what they would do next.

"Thank you, Fay. Thank you. I'm sorry, too — For obvious reasons," Miyu muttered. "I'm sorry, and I accept your apology, and I'm sorry I didn't before."

Fay nodded, the quiet strength that had always puzzled Kyle shining on her snow-white fur. "I accept your apology, too, Miyu."

And then the weight began to lift off of Kyle's shoulders. He'd been forced to play the role of an observer during this confrontation, for he knew it wasn't his to interfere with, but that role had been an  _agonizing_ one, one that felt so powerless and so burdened. Now, though, the Grievances had been Aired, the bones rebroken and set right this time. The healing process was starting over, sure, but now it could actually  _go_ somewhere meaningful instead of dropping off into stagnation and bitterness.

Something unexpected happened next. Fay stood, and Miyu stood, and they moved towards one another, and — _My god, they're going to —_ Hugged. Miyu's shaking paws on Fay's back, Fay's calm, relaxed ones on Miyu's. Tan and white. It was a picture of friendship that seemed to have lost its tragic backstory, a pure representation of platonic love that was untainted by its true history.

They stepped away from each other hesitantly, and then Fay's muzzle turned towards Kyle, smiling at him. "Get over here."

And he did, and before he knew it, there were two pairs of arms around him and claws resting reassuringly against his own body, and somewhere along the way Miyu's hand had ended up around his and Fay had coaxed him to rest his head in the crook of her kneck and he could smell their wildly differing shampoos and (in the case of Fay) perfume and see the differences in them behind these choices and could feel the heat passing between the three of them and could look outside of himself and see the embrace as something different, something consisting of three animals shorter than they were now, louder and happier and longer ago,  _farther away,_ and for a moment they  _weren't_ farther away anymore, for a moment images overlapped, for a moment Kyle returned, for a moment it wasn't  _like_ nothing had changed,  _nothing had changed,_ and then the inevitable return came, and his feet planted themselves on the firm ground of the present, his eyes turned toward the future —  _Onward to the Sun._

"I missed you both very, very much," Kyle suddenly murmured.

"You have no idea," Fay assured him.

"Ugh, you two are so mushy," Miyu groaned, her grip on Kyle's hand tightening ever so slightly despite her obvious disgust with  _feelings_ and other such useless nonsense.

"Says  _you!_ After all  _that?!"_ Kyle exclaimed, laughing.

 _"Ugh,_ it repulses me to know I've got feelings in there somewhere, too, _believe me,"_ she assured him, grinning. "Hey, Fay... Do you still have that old  _Aerial Ace_ game where they let you put multiple people in a fighter?"

"They never should have removed that!" shouted Kyle.

"Duh, what were they  _thinking?!"_ exclaimed Fay. "And the answer is most definitely  _yes._ You think I'd get rid of that?! Come on, let's go!"

They raced downstairs, Kyle's mind jumping back into the past once again as they did. Seconds melted into minutes and minutes into hours as they laughed and shrieked and became young children again, if only for this one spectacular moment.

If only for this one spectacular moment, Kyle  _did_ forget — He forgot that the Sun would soon Come Up.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Things drew to a natural close when they began to grow drowsy. They stopped playing the game and began quietly chatting instead, their fingers numb from button-mashing.

"So you said you're packed to leave — Where are you going?" Miyu asked, finally broaching the subject that had been on Kyle's mind the entire night.

"Oh," Fay murmured, looking away. "I hate to say this after we've just rekindled our friendship, but... I'm enlisting."

 _"What?!"_ chorused Miyu and Kyle.

Fay's ears flicked back timidly. "Yeah... Non-combat! Just... You know. The kind of stuff my parents did when they were in the military, the kind of stuff they do for the government now... It'll be mostly just translation and correspondence when I start out, but my hope is I'll get to a higher diplomatic role at some point and then when I'm done with that, go to the University here before I get into the bureaucratic side of it. I want to do that earlier than they did, though. Unlike them, I'm not exactly  _looking for excuses_ to be in the military for a long time. Hey, I'll be putting all those dumb languages you made fun of me for learning to use, Miyu!" she exclaimed, grinning.

"Shut up, like,  _90%_ of the ones you did online were  _dead languages_ that didn't even survive post-Ark," Miyu shot back, snorting.

Fay didn't have a rebuttal for that particular point.

"That's funny," Kyle murmured. "I'm enlisting, too — _Yes-combat."_

Miyu cleared her throat and looked at the floor. "I heard about that," Fay said, staring straight into his eyes. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry it isn't a choice for you."

"It's okay," Kyle muttered, waving his paw. "I... Always expected this. I knew he was too determined to be stopped.  _Fucking jackass."_

Fay flinched. "I'm sorry, Kyle. I don't know what to tell you."

"You better protect him," Miyu suddenly muttered, laughing nervously to play it off as facetious.

"I don't know how often we'll see each other, with it being possible for him to leave Corneria, but... I'll certainly try to be there for you, Kyle," the white dog assured him, laying a paw on his knee.

Kyle blushed and cleared his throat. "It's really okay. I'm gonna survive this. I've been so worried about it, but on the way here, Miyu and I were singing early Mistress Meow stuff, and —"

"Oh, damn it, now I want to listen to her!" Fay interrupted. "...Sorry, go on!"

Kyle flashed a bright smile. "You're totally good. And I was just thinking, like... I'm  _so gay."_

Miyu snorted. "Ya think?"

 Fay just shook her head affectionately.

"No, but in all seriousness, like — I'm so much  _me._ I'm so deeply connected to my own personality, I'm so  _sure_ of who I am and what I believe. And — And some old, crabby generals aren't going to beat that out of me."

Miyu's paw flew up in front of a small smile and Fay grinned widely. "That's amazing!" the white dog exclaimed. "I'm so glad you've finally realized that. They can't break you, Kyle."

"It's not  _ideal,"_ he conceded. "But they can't break me, that's exactly right. They won't change me. And on the bright side, once I'm done with it I get a justified reason to  _never speak to that fucking cocksucker ever again!_ And not feel bad about it!" He kept grinning through the whole statement because he was  _done_ with feeling guilty about hating someone who had only ever tried to turn him into someone he wasn't and couldn't ever be.

Miyu smiled at him and let him see it this time. "Damn, dude. I'm proud of you. He deserves every ounce of your contempt."

Fay looked a little bit sad. "He does... I'm sorry, Kyle. I know things were so much better before he showed up. Hey, why'd he let you see me tonight, anyway?"

"Oh!" Kyle exclaimed, lighting up with glee. "This is a  _great story._ Miyu came to pick me up since, you know, commissioning is tomorrow, and he said I couldn't go. But my mom literally fucking  _commanded_ him to let me go! That about restored my faith in her, even after all the bullshit he's let him do."

"That's wonderful!" Fay shouted.

"Hell yeah it is," Miyu agreed.  _"She's_ awesome. Well... Like, when he isn't influencing her decisions, of course."

"That's what was so great about it," explained Kyle. "It was like, for one moment, she didn't give a  _shit_ what he thought. She was like,  _I raised this kid all by myself and I know what's right for him and you will **not** tell me otherwise."_

"Damn, I'm so glad she made this possible," Miyu murmured.

Fay shook her head. "I can't imagine you leaving without us having gotten the chance to do this."

Kyle nodded. "I needed this. I needed this one more time before the Sun Rose, if that makes any sense."

Fay smiled. "Of course it does."

Miyu ruffled his hair, ignoring his hisses of protest. "It makes nothing but sense, you mushy piece of shit."

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

"And we  _will_ keep in touch this time," Fay assured them, the cool night wind blowing through their fur.

"Of course," agreed Miyu. "I know I was talking about how I told Kyle I avoided saying hi to him because it was too sad, but that was  _bullshit._ Seeing you two in one room again was the most fun I've had in  _months."_

Fay smiled. "I'm really glad to hear you say that, Miyu. I'm also  _thrilled_ we could resolve our... Drama."

Miyu crossed her arms, snorting. "Don't say it like that. But — Me too."

"Kyle, it was amazing to see you again. I wish you the best for Basic. Stay Strong."

"Thanks. And best of luck to you, too. I'm so glad I got to see you again, I can't tell you how much I needed this one last time."

Fay's pupils shifted away in thought. "Who says it's the last time?" she finally decided. "For the foreseeable future, maybe. But I'm confident our paths will cross again many times in our lives."

Miyu and Kyle looked at each other, smiling so much they each thought the other was faking.

"I'd like that," Miyu murmured.

"Me, too," agreed Kyle.

There was one final group hug, one final moment spent in Corneria, one final moment of childhood, and then Kyle faced Sunup.

The most terrifying inevitability.

It was a land of mystery, a place he'd never been before and couldn't possibly predict the nature of. But it was coming, whether he was ready or not.

They said their goodbyes and Miyu and Kyle climbed into her car and began the drive home.

The ride was silent on the way back. They were both exhausted, too exhausted to even say a word.

It was over much too quickly, and the Sun had begun to peek over the horizon much too quickly, and everything had fallen back apart again much too quickly after they had worked so hard to reassemble it for one night.

But it didn't matter to Kyle. A moment so magical isn't meant to last forever, anyways.

The Sun must always Rise.

They stopped outside Kyle's house. The lights were off inside, and a text Kyle had received six hours ago but hadn't read until now confirmed that his parents had gone to sleep long ago.

Miyu parked slowly, sighing when she put the car in park. "Shit, you'll be waking up in just a few hours, won't you?"

Kyle shook his head. "I don't even care."

Miyu sniffled. "Cool," she forced out.

"What is  _up_ with you tonight?!" Kyle teased.

 _"Shut up!"_ Miyu wailed through laughter, rubbing her eyes. "I know it's not like me, but I've been trying to acknowledge my feelings more lately, even though that's _so_ not my natural instinct, and just thinking about you leaving... I'm just... You know. Gonna miss you. That's all."

Silence settled over them like a blanket of stars above them, something to marvel at, something that prompted great reflection, something that made an animal feel so much  _smaller._

"I'm gonna miss you, Kyle Connolly."

Kyle turned to look at her, a small smile gracing his otherwise sad features. "I know. I'm gonna miss you, too. So much."

"I uh — I'm not good at expressing this sort of thing, but —"

"It's okay. I know."

Miyu smiled and sniffled again. "You're a  _god damn miracle._ And don't let anyone ever take your happy ending away from you because you deserve it.  _Now go out there and fight for it because I know you've got what it takes to take down everything that stands in your way._ I know you, Kyle, and  _you are meant for great things."_

A tear ran down Kyle's cheek, salty and hot and stinging as he reached over the console and wrapped his arms tightly around Miyu. "Thank you so much, that's — That's the sweetest thing anyone's ever said to me. I love you, Miyu."

"Love you, too."

"Damn it, we never listened to Tigress or Madeline Lance!" Kyle suddenly shouted.

And Miyu laughed, and laughed, and laughed so hard, and  _cried,_ and Kyle was crying now, too, and they were both  _sobbing_ and laughing  _hysterically_ and her arms around him and his around hers and her paws shaking with a thousand things she couldn't put into words and the Sun Rising uncaringly as if it didn't even see this Moment and Kyle's snot on Miyu's arm and Kyle's tears in the crook of Miyu's neck and time seeming to apologize that it had to do its job.

They stayed like that until the creeping Sunlight told them this Moment was over and it was time to move on to life's next one — For both of them.

 _Nothing stands still,_ thought Kyle.  _All things will both rise and set. And then new things will rise and set. And so on, until the **end.**_

"We'll listen to them some other time.  _Soon._ I promise," Miyu murmured, her voice hoarse.

"Totally," agreed Kyle.

He stepped out of the car and shut the door gently so as not to wake his sleeping neighbors. Tiptoeing onto his porch just as a light drizzle began issuing from the lightly-colored clouds above them, Kyle looked at Miyu one last time. He forced a smile and waved, and when she waved back, her own fur matted with tears, it became a true smile.

Because even things that had to Set were worth seeing Rise.

And even when painful things would soon Rise, they too would soon Set, and something  _so beautiful_ would Rise.

But it was the same Sun, always the same Sun. It just looked a little bit different at each moment in someone's life.

Kyle crept into his house and crept up the stairs and crept into bed and prepared to leave the Nursery he'd been raised in and go Onward — Whatever that meant.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A few notes (That are actually, for _once,_ worth reading):  
> -Ms. Atsushi's thing about her parents believing in destiny is not meant to be lazy or racist. There's a simple reason animals with surnames from the same languages (Or set of languages that ended up in one country in the case of the U.K.) clustered together in the same general areas here in Lylat and why certain stereotypical cultural differences are still, to a certain degree, present. I feel like it's pretty obvious what this reason is lore-wise (especially after this chapter's gratuitous Great Flood references, of which I feel there are probably too many and reading it probably feels like being beat over the head with a blunt club made of solid Contrived Backstory™), but if you need some extra hints, this stuff will get directly touched on at some point. It just hasn't felt like it would make sense yet, and I prefer the slow reveal, anyway (Not that I've been particularly slow about it. Whoops.)  
> -OBSCURE REFERENCE ALERT! There are THREE (3!) in here; one references a video game few people played, one references a famous phrase co-opted from a famous sitcom that only a small number of the people referencing it have actually seen, and one references three real-world singers. I feel as though one of them is fairly obvious considering it's just her name expressed differently. The most-mentioned one is probably pretty easy, too, since I say what her early songs are about. The third one is a little less clearly identified but I'm sure you can get it if you think of singers from "Meow's" general era who might have a name that just _feels_ similar (Sorry, they aren't actually that similar). **If you get one, you get a virtual high-five. A few and it's a hug. If you get them all, I will be forever indebted to you — And I'm not kidding.**
> 
> Comments and criticism are oh so lovely~!


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